GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH, 


OR   HOW   TO   GROW 


VEGETABLES    AND    FRUITS, 


BY   THE  LATE 

WILLIAM    N.    WHITE, 

O1T  ATHENS,  GA. 

WITH   ADDITIONS  BY  Mil.   J.   VAN  BUKEN,   AND  DE.   JAS.   CAMAK. 
REVISED  AND  NEWLY  STEREOTYPED. 

ILLUSTRATE  D. 


NEW    YORK: 
ORANGE   JUDD    AND   COMPANY, 

245     BROADWAY. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868,  by 
ORANGE  JUDD  &  CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New-York. 


LOVEJOY,  SON  &  Co., 

ELECTKOTYPERS  &  STEREOTYPEBS, 

15  Vandewater  Street,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS. 


Publishers'  Preface 5 

Preface  to  the  Kevised  Edition 7 

From  the  Preface  to  the  First  Edition 8 

CHAPTEK    I. 

Formation  and  Management  of  Gardens  in  General 11 

CHAPTER    n. 


Soils— Their  Characteristics. . . , 

CHAPTER 


The  Improvement  of  the  Soil. . 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Manures , 


CHAPTER    V. 
Manures— Their  Sources  and  Preparation 42 

CHAPTER    VL 
Rotation  of  Crops 60 

CHAPTER    VII. 
Hot-beds,  Cold  Frames,  and  Pits 67 

CHAPTER    YIH. 
Garden  Implements 73 

CHAPTER    IX. 
Propagation  of  Plants 87 

CHAPTER    X. 
Budding  and  Grafting 112 

CHAPTER    XI. 
Pruning  and  Training 122 

CHAPTER    XH. 
Transplanting 134 

CHAPTER    Xm. 
Mulching,  Shading,  and  Watering 140 

CHAPTER    XTV. 
Protection  from  Frost 152 

CHAPTER    XV. 
Insects  and  Vermin 156 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
Vegetables— Description  and  Culture 161 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
Fruits— Varieties  and  Culture 334 


PUBLISHERS'    PREFACE. 


FOE  THE  SOUTH  had  long  been  out  of  print, 
and  in  1865  its  distinguished  author  made  an  arrangement 
with  the  publishers  to  produce  a  new  and  enlarged  edition. 
A  number  of  the  engravings  were  made  at  once,  with  a 
view  to  the  immediate  publication  of  the  work.  Its  au- 
thor wished  to  make  it  especially  full,  as  regarded  South- 
ern fruits,  and  delayed  completing  his  manuscript  until 
the  American  Pomological  Society  should  have  met  in 
1866,  in  order  that  he  might  compare  notes  with  his  po- 
mological  friends.  This  meeting  was  postponed  until  1867, 
and  before  this  took  place  the  author  was  removed  by 
death.  The  incomplete  manuscript  of  the  work  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  J.  Van  Buren,  of  Clarksville, 
Ga.,  an  eminent  pomologist  and  friend  of  the  author,  who, 
as  a  labor  of  love,  compiled  and  mainly  wrote  out  that 
portion  relating  to  fruit  culture.  The  publishers  would, 
on  behalf  of  Southern  fruit-growers,  express  their  thanks 
to  Mr.  Van  Buren  for  the  kind  office  he  has  performed, 
as  well  as  to  Dr.  Jas.  Camak,  who  revised  the  other  por- 
tions of  the  work.  The  manuscript  of  Mr.  White  contained 
tables  of  chemical  analyses  of  most  of  the  plants  described, 
but  as  they  were  not  from  the  most  recent  authorities,  and 
would  increase  the  size  of  the  work  more  than  they  would 
add  to  its  value,  they  have  been  omitted.  The  original 
plan  of  Mr.  White  included  a  treatise  on  ornamental 
gardening  for  the  South,  but  this  could  not  be  properly 
included  in  the  present  volume.  It  is  believed  that  the 
work  will  be  more  valued  by  his  many  friends,  as  well  as 
by  pomologists  generally,  for  the  portrait  which  is  given 
of  its  lamented  author. 


5 


PREFACE    TO    THE    REVISED    EDITION. 


The  revised  edition  of  Gardening  for  the  South  was 
mainly  prepared  by  our  lamented  friend,  W.  N".  White, 
the  author  of  the  first  edition,  whose  sudden  death  left 
the  work  in  an  incomplete  state.  At  his  special  request, 
made  while  on  his  death-bed,  we  have  undertaken  to  finish 
the  work  begun  by  him,  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  and 
while  we  do  so,  we  ask  the  indulgence  of  the  reader  to 
pass  over  and  forgive  any  imperfections  he  may  detect, 
for  we  feel  conscious  of  our  inability  to  present  to  the  pub- 
lic as  perfect  and  interesting  a  work  as  would  have  been 
done  had  the  author  been  permitted  to  have  finished  it. 

The  necessity  for  a  new  and  revised  edition  must  be 
apparent  to  every  reader,  as  the  former  edition  was  pub- 
lished in  1856 ;  since  which  time  the  discoveries,  improve- 
ments, and  progress  in  Agriculture  and  Horticulture  have 
been  very  great. 

Ten  years'  additional  experience  in  Agriculture  and  Hor- 
ticulture, by  the  talented  author  of  the  first  edition,  is  our 
warrant  for  recommending  the  present  work  to  the  favor 
of  the  public,  as  few  men  were  more  ardently  devoted  to 
the  culture  of  the  soil  than  he  was. 

Should  opinions  and  facts  be  found  stated  in  the  present 
work  at  variance  with  those  in  the  former  edition,  it  will 
be  attributed  to  the  experience  alluded  to  above,  for  with 
him  it  was  always  a  pleasure  to  acknowledge  an  error 
when  it  was  found  to  be  such.  Many  and  valuable  ad- 
ditions have  been  made  to  all  the  departments,  and  more 
particularly  to  the  lists  of  varieties,  both  of  vegetables 
and  fruits,  together  with  the  improved  methods  of  culti- 
vation, as  the  object  of  the  author  was  to  present  to  the 
public  a  practical  work  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate  of 
the  Southern  States. 

J.  VAN  BILKED, 
DK.  JAS.  CAMAK, 
7 


FROM   THE    PREFACE    TO   THE    FIRST    EDITION. 


I  have  thought  that,  upon  a  subject  so  accordant  with 
my  tastes  as  is  horticulture,  I  might  prepare  a  work 
adapted  to  our  climate  and  useful  to  the  public.  The  re- 
peated inquiries  made  of  me,  as  a  bookseller,  for  a  practi- 
cal treatise  on  the  subject,  and  these  inquiries  growing 
more  frequent  with  the  manifest  growth  of  the  gardening 
spirit  among  us,  led  to  the  undertaking.  Yet  written  as 
it  has  been,  in  the  intervals  of  trade  and  subjected  to  its 
constant  interruptions — now  advancing  but  a  line  at  once, 
again  a  page,  or  an  article— suspended  totally  for  nearly 
two  years,  then  hastily  finished,  looked  over,  and  printed 
under  circumstances  that  rendered  the  author's  revision 
of  the  proof  impossible — many  defects  of  style,  and  errors 
of  the  press,  are  manifest.  These,  if  the  work  contain  the 
information  sought,  practical  men  will  readily  excuse  in  a 
first  edition. 

To  claim  much  originality  in  a  modem  work  on  garden- 
ing, would  display  in  its  author  great  .ignorance  or  great 
presumption.  If  it  did  not  contain  much  that  is  found  in 
other  horticultural  works,  it  would  be  very  defective. 
Gardening  is  as  old  as  Adam,  and  what  we  know  to-day 
of  its  principles  and  operations  have  been  accumulated, 
little  by  little — the  result  of  thousands  of  experiments  and 
centuries  of  observation  and  practice.  Hence,  from  the 
gardening  literature  of  our  language,  have  been  selected, 
for  this  work,  those  modes  of  culture  which  considerable 
experience  and  observation  has  proved  adapted  to  our 
climate.  The  species  and  varieties  of  plants  found  here 
8 


PROM   THE   PREFACE    TO   THE    FIRST   EDITION.  IX 

most  desirable  for  use  or  ornament,  have  been  selected  and 
described.  This  mass  of  material  has  been  modified  and 
increased  by.  pretty  copious  garden-notes  of  my  own. 
Still,  it  has  been  my  object,  to  make  a  useful  and  reliable, 
rather  than  an  original  work.  Where  an  author's  language 
suited  my  purpose,  it  was  at  once  incorporated  into  the 
text.  If  the  expression  is  sometimes  changed,  it  is  gene- 
rally to  make  it  more  concise.  *  *  *  * 

The  necessity  of  a  Southern  work  on  gardening  is  felt 
by  every  horticulturist  in  our  midst.  Our  seasons  differ 
from  those  of  the  Northern  States  in  heat  and  dryness,  as 
much  as  the  latter  do  from  those  of  England.  Treatises 
perfectly  adapted  to  their  climate  we  are  obliged  to  fol- 
low very  cautiously.  English  works  require  the  exercise 
of  a  still  greater  degree  of  judgment  in  the  reader,  the 
climate  of  England  being  still  more  cool  and  humid. 
Again,  our  mild  winters  admit  of  garden  work  nearly  ev- 
ery day  of  the  year.  All  the  heavy  operations  of  trench- 
ing, manuring,  laying  out,  pruning,  and  planting  trees, 
shrubs,  and  hardy  ornamental  plants,  are  at  that  season 
most  conveniently  performed.  In  this  particular  aspect, 
our  climate  is  much  like  that  of  the  south  of  England. 
Hence,  while  the  calendars  of  operations,  in  works  pre- 
pared for  the  Northern  States,  seldom  agree  with  our 
practice,  those  in  English  works  are  often  found  to  coin- 
cide with  it.  But  even  where  the  time  of  performing  cer- 
tain operations  is  the  same  in  both  countries,  the  long, 
dry  summers,  and  still  milder  winters  of  this  climate,  often 
render  necessary  a  peculiar  mode  of  performing  the  same. 

We  need  then  works  upon  gardening  specially  adapted 
to  our  latitude  and  wants.  But  with  the  exception  of  the 
valuable  matter  scattered  through  our  agricultural  and 
horticultural  periodicals,  Homes'  "  Southern  Farmer  and 
Market  Gardener,"  written  some  years  since,  and  briefly 
treating  of  the  kitchen  garden  department  merely,  is  the 
only  work  containing  anything  reliable  on  the  subject. 
1* 


X  GARDENING   FOB   THE   SOUTH. 

The  chief  original  features  then,  of  this  work,  are,  that 
it  endeavors  to  give  more  or  less  information  upon  the 
whole  subject  of  gardening ;  and  information,  too,  that  is 
practically  adapted  to  our  climate,  habits,  and  require- 
ments. In  the  fruit  garden  department,  especially,  a  good 
deal  of  new  matter  is  to  be  found.  Throughout  the  en- 
tire work,  processes  are  frequently  described,  and  meth- 
ods of  culture  given,  which  are  suited  only  to  climates 
and  seasons  like  our  own.  Those  varieties  of  plants  and 
trees  are  pointed  out  which  experience  has  proved  are  best 
adapted  to  our  orchards  and  gardens.  *  *  *  * 

Unusual  prominence  is  also  given  to  the  general  subject 
of  manures,  as  they  are  the  foundation,  not  only  of  suc- 
cessful gardening,  but  of  profitable  husbandry.  Besides 
the  various  works  consulted,  the  experience  of  horticul- 
tural friends  has  been  freely  communicated.  Valuable 
hints  have  been  derived  from  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr. 
Thurmond,  of  Atlanta,  Prof.  J.  P.  Waddel,  Dr.  M.  A. 
Ward,  and  Dr.  James  Camak,  of  Athens,  Right  Rev. 
Bishop  Elliott,  of  Savannah,  Dr.  J.  C.  Jenkyns  and  Mr. 
Affleck,  of  Miss. ;  and  especially  from  J.  Van  Buren,  of 
Clarksville,  Ga.,  whose  successful  efforts  to  make  known 
and  diffuse  native  Southern  varieties  of  the  apple,  rendered 
him  a  public  benefactor.  It  is  hoped  we  shall  yet  see  a 
work  on  fruit  trees  from  his  pen. 

If  this  treatise,  with  all  its  imperfections,  shall  in  any 
degree  increase  the  love  of  gardening  among  us ;  if  it 
shall  cause  orchards  to  flourish,  shade  trees  to  embower, 
and  flowers  to  spring  up  around  any  Southern  home,  the 
author's  purpose  is  accomplished. 


GABDEHING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 


CHAPTER      I. 

FORMATION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  GARDENS  IN  GENERAL. 

Situation. — The  situation  of  the  flower-garden  and  lawn 
should  be  immediately  adjacent  to  the  dwelling,  in  order 
to  yield  the  highest  degree  of  pleasure.  The  most  satis- 
factory arrangement  is  to  form  the  lawn  directly  in  front, 
and  the  flower-garden  on  the  side,  sufficiently  near  to  be 
overlooked  by  the  drawing-room  windows,  while  the  sides 
of  the  dwelling,  in  part,  and  its  entire  rear,  including  the 
kitchen  and  servants'  yard,  are  sheltered  and  concealed 
by  trees.  A  dwelling  thus  embayed  in  jrell-grown  trees 
is  always  regarded  with  pleasure.  As  neither  the  fruit  or 
kitchen  garden,  especially  the  latter,  can  be  considered 
Ornamental,  they  should  not,  though  near  the  dwelling, 
be  placed  obtrusively  in  view.  Near  they  should  be,  for 
if  either  is  distant,  time  is  lost  in  watching  its  progress ; 
it  is  in  danger  of  being  neglected;  and  even  if  this  is  not 
the  case,  its  choicest  products  may  gratify  the  palate  of 
any  one  besides  its  owner.  A  good  arrangement  is  to 
place  them  in  immediate  connection  with  the  pleasure- 
ground,  proceeding  from  the  shrubbery  to  the  fruit  de- 
partment, and  thence  to  the  kitchen  garden.  The  latter 
should  also  have  an  independent  approach.  It  should  be 
11 


GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

near  the  stables,  in  order  that  it  may  be  copiously  replen- 
ished with  manure  without  too  much  labor. 

Much,  however,  depends  upon  the  soil.  The  best  at 
command,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  dwelling,  should  be 
chosen.  Proximity  to  water  is  also  highly  important, 
especially  if  it  can  be  readily  employed  for  irrigation. 
Low  situations  are  more  liable  to  late  and  early  frosts,  but 
their  abundant  moisture  renders  them  desirable  for  sum- 
mer crops.  A  diversity  of  soils  and  exposures  in  the  same 
inclosure  is  desirable. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  the  productiveness  of  the 
kitchen  garden  be  not  diminished  by  the  proximity  of 
large  trees,  which  are  injurious  by  their  drip  to  all  plants 
beneath  them,  and  by  their  shade  and  extended  roots  to 
those  more  remote.  The  small,  fibrous  roots  of  trees  ex- 
tend far  beyond  their  branches,  and  one  is  not  safe  from 
these  devourers  much  short  of  the  length  of  the  stem 
which  they  nourish.  If  trees  exist  too  valuable  to  be  re- 
moved, dig  a  deep  trench  near  them,  and  cut  off  all  roots 
that  extend  into  it.  This  will  probably  relieve  the  ad- 
jacent crops  from  their  injurious  effects. 

Aspect  and  Inclination. — A  light  exposure  to  the  south 
is  generally  to  be  recommended.  Gardeners  take  pride  in 
having  early  croos,  and  this  compensates  in  some  measure 
for  their  shorter  duration  in  such  an  exposure.  A  north- 
eastern aspect  is  to  be  avoided,  as  our  worst  storms  are 
from  that  direction.  A  north-western  exposure,  though 
cold  and  late,  is  less  liable  to  injury  from  late  and  early 
frosts,  as  vegetation  in  such  situations  is  sheltered  some- 
what from  the  rising  sun,  and  does  not  suffer  so  much  if 
it  becomes  slightly  frozen.  It  is  not  the  frost  that  injures 
plants  so  much  as  the  direct  heat  of  the  sun  falling  upon 
the  frozen  leaves  and  blossoms.  Hence  an  easterly  aspect 
is  generally  objectionable  for  tender  plants. 

Cabbage,  cauliflower,  strawberries,  spinach,  lettuce,  and 
other  salads,  are  much  more  easily  brought  to  perfection 


FORMATION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  GARDENS.     13 

in  a  northern  aspect.  Many  of  these  run  up  to  seed  im- 
mediately if  exposed  to  the  full  sun.  Of  fruit  trees  the 
apple  succeeds  well  on  a  northern  slope.  The  soil,  too,  is 
usually  richer,  and  will  retain  its  fertility  longer,  other 
things  being  equal,  in  such  an  exposure.  It  is  a  great  ad- 
vantage, if  the  garden  slope  at  all,  to  have  it  slope  in 
more  than  one  direction,  thus  giving  a  choice  of  exposure, 
and  generally  also  of  soil,  as  it  is  thereby  adapted  to  both 
late  and  early  crops.  But  when  the  drainage  is  good,  a 
level  is  to  be  preferred,  as  by  the  aid  of  the  fences  any 
desired  exposure  can  be  obtained  for  particular  plants. 
Indeed,  in  southern  climates  nothing  after  quality  is  more 
to  be  regarded  than  the  inclination  of  the  soil. 

Whatever  be  the  situation  or  aspect,  a  garden  must  be 
as  level  as  possible.  Any  considerable  inclination  in  a 
southern  latitude  subjects  the  richest  portion  of  the  soil 
to  the  danger  of  being  washed  away  by  its  violent  storms. 
In  the  rich,  mellow  soil  of  a  garden  cultivated  as  it  should^ 
be,  if  there  be  much  perceptible  slope,  a  single  storm  will 
often  cause  a  loss  of  manure  and  labor  that  will  require 
considerable  expense  to  repair.  If  the  ground  is  not  level 
at  first,  it  is  necessary  to  resort  to  hillside  ditching  or  to 
throw  it  at  once  into  terraces  of  convenient  breadth.  To 
do  this  the  eye  cannot  be  trusted  ;  a  leveling  instrument 
is  required.  The  steeps  of  these  can  be  clothed  with 
blue  grass,  or  strawberry  plants,  to  prevent  them  from 
washing. 

Each  terrace  must  be  so  raised  just  at  its  edge,  that  it 
will  retain  all  the  water  which  falls  upon  it,  permitting 
none  to  flow  over  even  in  the  heaviest  storms.  Any  ex 
cess  of  water  should  be  carried  off  by  proper  underdrains, 
if  needed,  and  not  suffered  to  run  off  the  surface.  Sur- 
face ditches  are  a  poor  substitute.  Terracing  is  not  very 
expensive.  The  horizontal  line  is  first  determined  with  a 
level  and  staked  off.  A  few  turns  of  the  plow  are  made 
on  the  hillside  just  below  the  stakes,  and  the  earth  thrown 


11  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

up  with  a  shovel  to  the  staked  line.  If  more  earth  is  re- 
quired, the  plowing  and  shovelling  must  be  repeated  until 
a  sufficient  bank  is  formed  to  retain  the  water.  During 
the  first  year,  occasional  breaks  in  the  bank  may  happen 
from  violent  storms,  but  if  well  repaired,  after  the  banks 
become  settled,  they  will  rarely  be  broken  over  by  the  ac- 
cumulation of  water,  particularly  if  proper  underdrains 
or  surface  ditches  are  provided. 

Size. — A  garden  should  be  proportioned  to  the  size  of 
the  family,  and  their  partiality  for  its  different  products. 
A  small  garden  with  a  suitable  rotation  of  crops,  and  well 
manured  and  cultivated,  will  yield  more  pleasure  and  profit 
than  an  ordinary  one  of  three  times  its  size.  An  active, 
industrious  hand  can  take  care  of  an  acre,  provided  with 
necessary  hot-beds,  cold  frames,  etc.,  keeping  it  in  perfect 
neatness  and  condition ;  or  if  the  plow  and  cultivator  be 
brought  into  requisition,  as  they  should  be  in  large  gar- 
dens, four  times  that  amount  can  be  under  his  care,  pro- 
vided there  is  not  much  under  glass.  In  market  gardens 
Henderson  allows  seven  men  to  ten  acres. 

If  but  little  room  can  be  allowed  near  the  house,  cab- 
bages, carrots,  turnips,  potatoes,  and  the  common  crops, 
can  be  grown  in  the  field,  if  well  enriched,  and  be  culti- 
vated mainly  with  the  plow.  The  fruit  garden  should  be 
in  a  separate  compartment,  as  the  shade  of  the  trees  is 
very  injurious,  and  the  exhaustion  of  the  soil  by  their 
roots  still  more  so.  Dwarf  p§ars  upon  the  quince  stock 
are  the  least  hurtful,  and  may  be  admitted  into  the  vege- 
table department  along  the  walks. 

Form. — The  form  will  often  depend  upon  the  situation 
of  the  garden  or  the  inclination  of  the  ground.  When  a 
matter  of  choice,  a  square  or  parallelogram  is  most  con- 
venient for  laying  out  the  walks  and  beds.  A  parallelo- 
gram extending  from  east  to  west  gives  a  long  south  wall 
for  shading  plants  in  summer,  and  a  long  sheltered  border 


FORMATION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  GARDENS.      15 

for  forwarding  early  crops.  An  oblong  shape  has  the 
further  advantage  of  giving  longer  rows  for  the  plow  or 
cultivator. 

Laying  out, — A  convenient  plan  is  given  in  figure  1, 
showing  the  hedge  enclosing  the  whole ;  and  the  adjacent^ 
border,  b  b,  which  should  be  about  twelve  feet  wide.  The 
remainder  of  the  space  is  taken  up  with  walks  and  the 
plots,  a  a  a  a.  The  walk  next  the  boundaries  should  not 
be  less  than  four  and  a  half  feet  in  width.  The  long  cen- 
tral walk  should  be  at  least  five  or  six  feet  wide,  and  in 
large  gardens  still  wider,  so  as  readily  to  admit  a  cart. 
In  this  case  the  main  walk 
should  proceed  as  in  the  figure, 
from  the  entrance  until  near 
the  farther  border,  where  a 
larger  portion  than  in  the 
plan  should  be  taken  oif  the 
adjacent  plots,  to  form  a  cir- 
cular turning  place,  around  an  Fi£- 1.— GARDEN  PLAN. 
arbor  or  tool-house.  If  the  ground  is  to  be  cultivated 
with  the  plow,  the  central  cross-walk  should  be  omitted, 
making  two  instead  of  four  oblong  plots.  In  this  case 
the  borders  should  be  made  of  sufficient  width  to  give 
room  enough  for  all  those  vegetables  that  will  not  admit 
cultivation  with  this  implement.  ^ 

The  other  vegetables  may  be  successfully  cultivated  in 
these  two  plots  in  long  rows.  Where  only  the  spade  and 
hoe  are  used,  these  plots  may  be  further  subdivided  into 
smaller- ones  by  walks  three  to  four  and  a  half  feet  wide, 
extending  from  the  borders  to  the  main  walk  ;  and  a  por- 
tion of  these  should  be  laid  out  each  year  by  very  narrow 
alleys  into  beds  four  feet  wide,  for  onions,  beets,  carrots, 
etc.  The  earth  should  be  dug  out  of  the  main  walks,  four 
inches  deep,  and  spread  evenly  on  each  side  over  the  ad- 
jacent ground.  The  walks  may  be  filled  with  gravel,  so 
as  to  be  dry  and  comfortable,  or  fresh  tan,  if  accessible, 


16  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

will  answer  very  well,  and  will  keep  out  the  weeds  for 
two  years,  when  it  should  be  used  as  a  dressing  for  the 
strawberry  beds,  and  its  place  filled  with  a  fresh  supply. 
No  more  walks  or  alleys  should  be  made  than  are  required 
for  convenience  in  gardening  operations. 

Box  is  the  best  edging  wherever  it  succeeds,  which  it 
does  admirably  throughout  most  of  the  South.  All  main 
walks  should  be  wide  enough  for  two  persons  to  walk 
abreast,  for  which  not  less  than  four  and  a  half  feet,  are 
required. 

Fencing, — The  objects  of  fencing  are  to  procure  shelter 
for  delicate  plants  from  cold  winds,  also  shade  for  those 
that  require  it,  and,  above  all,  to  keep  out  of  the  garden 
intruders  of  ail  kinds,  that  the  owner  may  enjoy  its  frftits 
without  molestation.  A  high,  close  board  fence,  or  a  stone 
or  brick  wall,  answers  a  tolerable  purpose ;  but  the  only 
thing  to  be  relied  on  is  a  living  hedge.  The  Osage  Orange, 
the  Pyracanth,  the  Cherokee  and  single  White  Macartney 
roses,  thrive  in  the  South,  and  are  all  good  for  this  purpose. 
Osage  Orange  plants  may  be  raised  from  seed,  or  bought 
at  the  nurseries  for  five  or  six  dollars  per  thousand.  The 
Pyracanth,  or  Evergreen  Thorn,  (Cratcegus  pyracantha) , 
will  make  a  hedge  as  effectual  as  the  Osage  Orange,  and, 
as  it  is  an  evergreen,  is  much  the  more  desirable.  The 
blossoms  in  springtare  very  showy,  and  it  is  covered  in 
winter  with  bright  scarlet  berries,  and  hence  it  is  often 
called  the  Burning-bush.  It  grows  freely  from  cuttings 
in  sandy  soil,  but  these  cuttings  should  remain  in  the  nur- 
sery-bed a  year,  to  become  well  rooted  before  use.  Mr. 
Nelson  gives  the  following  directions  for  planting  and 
trimming  a  hedge,  which  apply  equally  well  to  Osage 
Orange  and  Pyracanth : 

"  Planting1 , — First  dig  a  trench  where  the  hedge  is  in- 
tended to  be  grown,  two  spades  deep,  throwing  the  sur- 
face to  one,  and  the  subsoil  to  the  other  side ;  then  throw 


FORMATION    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    GARDENS.  17 

the  surface  soil  down  on  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  and  if 
it  is  very  poor,  add  a  little  manure,  or  good  surface  earth. 
Autumn  is  by  far  the  best  time  for  transplanting,  and  it 
can  safely  be  done  as  soon  as  the  leaves  are  dropped.  Cut 
down  the  plants  to  within  four  inches  above  the  roots  be- 
fore planting.  Several  authors  recommend  planting  in 
double  rows,  but  I  decidedly  prefer  a  single  one.  Assort 
the  plants  in  two  parcels,  those  of  large  and  those  of 
small  size,  and  lay  the  smaller  ones  aside  for  the  richest 
ground.  Stretch  the  line  firmly,  and  place  the  plants  in 
as  straight  a  line  as  possible,  one  foot  apart ;  fill  up  the 
trench  with  earth,  leaving  about  two  inches  above  ground  ; 
press  the  earth  not  too  firmly,  but  water  plentifully,  and 
after  that,  level  the  whole  nicely." 

"  Trimming. — It  is  perfectly  useless  to  plant  a  hedge 
and  leave  it  to  be  killed  by  weeds,  or  grow  without  trim- 
ming. A  young  hedge  will  require  the  same  amount  of 
labor  as  a  row  of  Indian 
corn.  The  plants  having 
been  cut  down  so  much,  will, 
of  course,  start  vigorously 
the  ensuing  spring.  A  good  ^ 
hedge  ought  never  to  be 
trimmed  in  any  other  than  in 

.       ,     ,  .       „  Fig.  2.— SECTION   OF  HEDGE. 

a  conical  shape,  as  in  ngure  2. 

When  trimmed  in  a  conical  shape,  every  shoot  will  enjoy 
the  fall  benefit  of  air,  light,  and  moisture,  and  by  this 
simple  and  natural  method,  a  hedge  can  be  shorn  into  a 
strong  wall  of  verdure,  so  green  and  close  from,  bottom  to 
top,  that  even  a  sparrow  cannot,  without  difficulty ,  pass 
through  it.  In  order  to  make  a  hedge  so  thick  and  im- 
pervious as  above  mentioned,  it  is  necessary  to  go  to 
work  even  in  the  first  summer,  with  a  pair  of  hedge 
shears,  pruning  the  young  growth,  when  about  three 
months  old,  at  the  same  time  laying  down  some  of  the 
most  vigorous  shoots  to  fill  up  any  vacant  places  found 


18  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

near  the  ground ;  these  shoots  may  be  fastened  to  the 
ground  with  hooked  pegs.  They  may  be  considered  as 
layers,  will  soon  send  up  a  number  of  sprouts,  making  the 
hedge  impenetrable  for  pigs,  and  nearly  for  rabbits.  The 
young  twigs  may  be  trimmed  in  a  wedge  shape,  not  more 
than  one  foot  high,  and  at  the  base,  six  inches  broad.  The 
next  season  the  hedge  may  be  allowed  to  grow  one  foot 
higher,  and  three  or  four  inches  wider  at  the  base.  This 
pruning  is  most  readily  given  with  a  reaping  hook,  (a 
sharp  sickle  without  teeth),  making  the  cut  with  an  up- 
ward stroke.  Thus  the  management  must  be  continued 
until  the  hedge  has  attained  the  intended  height,  allowing 
an  addition  of  four  inches  broader  at  the  bottom  for  ev- 
ery foot  more  in  height.  A  hedge,  regularly  trimmed 
twice  a  year,  in  June  and  November,  with  the  exception 
of  the  first  years,  when  it  requires  a  little  more  care  than 
afterward,  will  continue  impenetrable  for  fifty  or  even  one 
hundred  years." 

The  Cherokee  rose,  (Rosa,  Icevigata),  by  planting  the 
cuttings  by  the  side  of  a  plank  or  wire  fence,  two  feet 
apart,  will  grow  up  and  cover  it  in  a  short  time,  and  ef- 
fectually repel  man  and  beast ;  but  it  grows  so  rampant 
that  it  requires  constant  shortening-in.  It  is  also  apt  to 
die  out  at  the  bottom,  and  become  unsightly,  and  is  in  all 
respects  much  inferior  to  the  single  white  Macartney, 
(JRosa  bracteata),  an  evergreen,  and  very  easily  grown  from 
cuttings.  It  is  very  thorny,  and  of  beautiful  foliage.  It 
never  dies  out  at  the  bottom,  whether  pruned  or  not,  and 
south  of  Virginia,  is  very  hardy,  and  of  luxuriant  growth. 
A  satisfactory  fence  can  be  made  with  this,  by  setting 
good  chestnut  or  cedar  posts,  eight  feet  apart,  planted 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  the  ground.  Bank  up  the  soil 
to  form  some  twenty  inches  high  along  the  line  of  the  fence, 
then  form  the  usual  paling  fence,  or  nail  a  good  wide  bottom 
board,  and  finish  the  fence  with  heart  pine  six  inch  planks,  or 
with  stout  wire,  strained  through  holes  in  the  posts.  The 


FOKMATION  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  GAEDENS.     19 

wire  fence  may  be  four  feet  high.  The  roses  should  be 
rooted  cuttings,  and  may  be  planted  at  first,  even  eight  feet 
apart,  and  by  layering  and  training  the  bottom  shoots,  if 
the  ground  is  kept  in  good  order,  in  three  years  they  will 
repel  every  intruder.  It  is  better,  where  plants  are  abun- 
dant, to  set  them  out  four  feet  apart.  This  hedge  requires 
less  pruning  than  any  other  to  keep  it  impenetrable.  Af- 
ter the  posts  and  slats  have  decayed,  the  bank  it- 
self, grown  over  with  roses,  will  repel  all  intrusion.  The 
roses  should  be  set  at  about  the  original  level  of  the 
ground,  and  not  at  the  top  of  the  bank.  My  own  hedge 
of  Macartney  rose,  when  three  years  old,  trained  on  a 
common  fence  of  rails  and  paling,  formed  a  barrier  per- 
fectly secure,  and  very  ornamental.  I  see  but  one  objec- 
tion to  it.  It  is  in  summer  always  in  blossom,  and  there- 
fore attracts  all  the  bees  in  the  neighborhood.  In  my 
fruit-garden  I  have  thought  that  the  injury  done  to  peaches 
and  grapes  by  wasps  and  bees  has  been  much  greater  since 
the  hedge  has  grown  up  than  before.  It  is  a  fine  bee 
plant.  In  a  more  northern  climate  the  sweetbrier  might 
answer  as  a  tolerable  substitute. 

The  American  Holly  makes  an  efficient  and  beautiful 
hedge,  but  is  slow  of  growth  and  very  hard  to  transplant. 
It  can,  however,  be  safely  planted  by  selecting  a  mild, 
cloudy  day  the  last  of  February,  or  early  in  March,  cut- 
ting off  the  top  as  directed  above  by  Mr.  Nelson  for  the 
Osage  Orange,  and  exposing  the  roots  meanwhile  to  the 
air  as  little  as  possible.  Thousands  of  yards  can  be 
thus  planted  with  little  loss. 

For  an  ornamental  hedge  about  a  cemetery  lot  or  else 
where,  the  Irish  Yew  and  the  Tree  Box  are  decidedly  the 
best  plants  that  can  be  used.  The  narrow-leaved  variety 
of  Tree  Box  grows  naturally,  just  the  right  shape,  and 
needs  very  little  trimming  after  two  or  three  years.  The 
Yew  likes  shade. 

The  Japan  Quince  planted  by  the  side  of  a  common 


20  GAKDEOTNG   FOE   THE   SOUTH. 

picket  or  plank  fence  will,  in  a  few  years,  make  a  good 
enclosure  for  a  fruit  or  vegetable  garden,  and  in  flower  is 
very  ornamental. 

After  hedges  are  established,  a  trench  should  be  cut  on 
the  garden  side,  two  and  a  half  or  three  feet  from  their 
base,  sufficiently  deep  to  keep  their  roots  from  extending 
into  the  beds  and  injuring  the  crops. 


CHAPTER     II. 

SOILS— THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Soils. — In  all  climates  the  character  of  the  soil  is  of 
as  much  importance  as  situation  or  aspect.  Soils  are  of 
two  classes.  They  may  be  composed  of  matter  derived 
directly  from  the  decay  of  rock,  like  clay,  loam,  sand, 
lime,  and  other  earthy  and  alkaline  matters.  Such  a  soil 
is  classed  as  inorganic.  Soils  may  likewise  originate  from 
the  action  and  decay  of  plants  and  animals  (organized  be- 
ings,) as  for  example,  peat,  mould,  and  shell-marl.  Such 
a  soil  is  classed  as  organic.  A  good  soil  is  the  result  of 
the_proper  union  of  both  these  classes. 

The  mechanical  texture  of  a  soil  is  likewise  especially 
to  be  regarded,  as  on  this  depends  the  proper  retention  of 
manure  and  moisture.  There  are  two  grand  divisions  of 
soils,  the  heavy  and  light,  which  pass  into  each  other  by 
imperceptible  gradations. 

The  best  classification  of  soils  is  that  of  Schubler,  a  Ger 
man,  and  is  founded  entirely  upon  the  relative  proportions 
of  the  chief  constituents  of  all  soils,  viz.,  clay,  sand,  lime, 
and  humus.  He  classes  them  as  follows : 

Argillaceous  Soils. — These  contain  over  fifty  per  cent 
of  clay,  and  are  readily  known  by  their  tenacity  and 


SOILS THEIR   CHARACTERISTICS.  21 

greasiness  to  the  feel,  caused  by  the  predominance  of  the 
clay  in  them.  They  are  difficult  to  work,  and  in  dry 
weather  bake  like  brick  and  are  not  permeable  to  light 
dews  and  rains.  In  drying,  they  crack,  exposing,  in  sum- 
mer, the  large  roots  of  plants  to  the  air  and  sun,  and 
breaking  the  smaller  ones.  After  heavy  rains  they  become 
so  saturated  that  they  are  for  a  long  time  unfit  to  work, 
and  the  plants  therein  die  from  excess  of  moisture.  In 
short,  they  are  very  cold  when  they  are  wet,  and  very 
hard  when  they  are  dry.  The  crops  are  full  ten  days  later 
in  coming  to  maturity,  than  in  a  good,  sandy  loam.  Or- 
dinary clays  contain  about  twenty-five  per  cent  of  sand. 
If  less  than  fifteen  per  cent,  they  are  only  fit  for  brick- 
making  and  pottery. 

Clays  are  rich  in  alkalies,  and  have  the  property  of  re- 
taining potash,  phosphoric  and  silicic  acids,  and  all  salts 
necessary  to  the  growth  of  plants;  also  of  condensing  am- 
monia and  other  gaseous  matters.  Hence  they  retain  the 
virtues  of  manure  better  than  most  other  soils.  Where 
there  is  present  lime  and  organic  matters  in  sufficient 
quantity,  clays,  not  too  stiff,  are  excellent  for  wheat. 

A  Bandy  Soil  is  in  texture  the  opposite  of  the  preced- 
ing and  the  lightest  of  all  soils.  It  contains  not  over  ten 
per  cent  of  clay.  Such  soils  are  harsh  to  the  feel,  lack 
cohesion,  permit  the  water  that  falls  upon  them  to  pass 
instantly  through  them,  and,  as  they  heat  up  quickly,  the 
crops  raised  in  them  soon  suffer  from  drought.  In  them 
vegetation  is  early,  but  less  vigorous  and  sustained.  They 
do  not  readily  combine  with  manures,  the  soluble  parts  of 
which  are  leached  into  the  subsoil,  or  are  washed  out  by 
the  rains ;  so  that,  if  manure  be  not  constantly  applied, 
they  will  yield  but  a  moderate  crop.  Gravels  are,  in  this 
respect,  from  the  coarseness  of  their  particles,  still  worse 
than  sands,  and  are  very  properly  called  "  hungry  soils." 
Indeed,  the  fertility  of  a  soil  depends  in  a  very  great  de- 
gree upon  the  fineness  of  its  particles.  Sand  is  sparingly 


22  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

soluble  in  water  containing  alkaline  matter  in  solution, 
and  in  this  state  forms  a  portion,  and  sometimes  an  impor- 
tant portion,  of  the  food  of  plants.  It  is  soluble  silica,  in 
other  words,  dissolved  sand,  which  the  plant  of  wheat  or 
maize  has  extracted  from  the  soil  and  deposited  upon  the 
exterior  of  its  stem,  that  gives  the  stalk  or  straw  its  stiff- 
ness, and  the  lack  of  which  in  sufficient  quantity  subjects 
it  to  the  attacks  of  rust.  Silica  usually  forms  a  small 
proportion,  too,  of  grains,  legumes,  and  succulent  roots. 

For  garden  purposes,  the  only  kind  of  sand  suitable  is 
that  which  is  fine  and  has  been  rounded  by  moving  water. 
The  angular  particles  of  road  sand  form  hard,  impermea- 
ble masses,  and  it  should  never  be  employed.  (Lindley.} 

A  loamy  sand  is  a  better  soil  than  the  preceding,  and 
contains  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent  of  clay.  These  light 
soils  are  best  adapted  to  tap-roots  and  bulbs  and  for  strik- 
ing cuttings,  while  those  heavier  are  better  fitted  for 
plants  with  fibrous  roots. 

A  sandy  loam  contains  between  twenty  and  thirty  per 
cent  of  clay,  while  all  soils  containing  from  thirty  to  fifty 
per  cent  of  clay  are  classed  as  ordinary  loams. 

In  a  garden  designed  for  the  cultivation  of  a  variety  of 
plants,  both  a  light  and  a  moderately  heavy  soil  are  desira- 
ble. But  the  best  soil  for  general  purposes  is  a  loam  of 
medium  texture,  rather  light  than  otherwise,  arising  from 
a  suitable  admixture  of  the  two,  as  they  reciprocally  cor- 
rect the  defects  of  each  other.  Where  the  other  essen- 
tials are  present  naturally,  or  added  by  man,  such  a  soil 
is  suitable  for  the  production  of  nearly  all  garden  crops. 
Any  soil,  by  judicious  culture,  draining,  and  ameliorators, 
or  amendments,  can  be  converted  into  such  a  loam. 

Lime  in  greater  or  less  proportions  is  generally  present 
in  soils,  commonly  as  a  carbonate.  It  is  sparingly  solu- 
ble in  water,  and  is  especially,  when  combined  with  acids, 
as  in  the  sulphate  (gypsum,)  or  the  phosphate  of  lime 
(bone  earth,)  an  important  portion  of  the  food  of  our 


SOILS — THEIR   CHARACTERISTICS.  23 

most  useful  plants.  There  are  some  plants,  however,  as 
the  Kalmia,  to  which  its  presence,  to  any  appreciable  extent 
in  soils,  is  injurious.  Any  one  of  the  foregoing  soils  that 
contains  from  five  to  twenty  per  cent  of  lime  is  classed 
as  marly,  (as  a  marly  clay,  a  marly  loam,  etc. )  When  it 
contains  over  twenty  per  cent,  it  is  classed  as  calcareous. 
A  small  percentage  only  of  lime  is  required  for  the  suc- 
cessful growth  of  plants.  Marly  soils,  other  things  being 
equal,  are  the  best  adapted  to  fruit  trees  and  wheat.  They 
are  also  classed  as  argillaceous,  loamy,  sandy-loamy,  and 
loamy-sandy  marls,  etc.,  according  to  the  relative  amounts 
in  them  of  clay  and  sand ;  while  if  they  contain  above 
five  per  cent  of  humus  (vegetable  matter  in  a  state  of 
decay,)  they  are  classed  as  humus  marls,  which  may  be 
also  argillaceous,  if  containing  fifty  per  cent  of  clay ;  loamy, 
if  from  thirty  to  fifty  per  cent ;  and  sandy,  if  less  than 
thirty  per  cent  of  clay. 

Calcareous  Soils  (which  contain  more  than  twenty  per 
cent  of  carbonate  of  lime)  also  are  classed  in  the  same 
manner  with  marly  soils,  according  to  the  relative  amounts 
of  clay,  sand,  and  humus  they  contain — as  argillaceous,  or 
loamy  calcareous,  etc. 

Organic  Soils. — Shell  marls,  though  of  organic  origin, 
are  naturally  classed  with  the  calcareous  soils.  The  other 
organic  soils  are  mainly  of  vegetable  origin,  resulting  from 
the  decay  of  plants,  and  are  named  humus  soils.  This 
last  class  is  of  three  orders :  1st.  Soluble  mild  humus, 
that  is,  vegetable  mould  in  a  fit  condition  for  the  nourish- 
ment of  the  plants  which  grow  in  it,  such  as  thoroughly 
rotted  peat,  black  or  leaf-mould.  2d.  Acid  humus,  which 
contains  a  free  acid,  injurious,  if  not  destructive,  to  most 
plants.  3d.  Peat  or  other  fibrous  vegetable  matter,  which, 
though  free  from  acidity,  is  not  yet  in  a  proper  condition 
to  impart  nourishment  to  plants.  Humus  soils  may  be 
argillaceous,  loamy  and  sandy,  and  also  contain,  or  be  des- 
titute of,  calcareous  matter. 


I 

24  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

Humus  has  the  property  of  producing  a  constant  sup- 
ply of  carbonic  acid  by  slow  combination  with  oxygen. 
It  aids  greatly  in  keeping  a  soil  in  an  open  state,  so  as  to 
allow  water  and  air  to  pass  freely  through  it,  and  by  vir- 
tue of  its  porosity  it  condenses  and  retains  gaseous  mat- 
ter within,  and  it  absorbs  saline  substances.  Though  such 
a  soil  freely  parts  with  a  superabundance  of  water,  yet  in 
dry  weather  it  imbibes  from  the  atmosphere  large  sup- 
plies of  moisture.  Schubler  found  that  100  pounds  of 
dry  humus  would  hold  190  pounds  of  water  without  los- 
ing a  drop.  In  dry  weather  1,000  grains  of  it  spread  up- 
on a  surface  of  fifty  inches  absorbed  from  the  atmosphere 
in  three  days  120  grains  of  moisture.  Of  silicious  sand 
the  same  amount  absorbed  nothing ;  sandy  clay,  28  grains ; 
loamy  clay,  35  ;  stiff  clay,  35 ;  garden  mould,  52.  Hence 
the  best  defence  we  have  against  drought  is  an  abundant 
supply  of  decayed  organic  matter  in  a  loamy  soil.  Clay, 
sand,  humus,  and  lime,  will  neither  of  them,  if  pure,  sus- 
tain a  healthy  vegetation ;  but  properly  mixed,  constitute 
the  main  ingredients  of  the  richest  soils  in  the  world.  As 
good  loam  contains  sufficient  lime,  therefore  loam,  peat, 
and  sand,  in  varying  proportions,  are  constantly  employ- 
ed by  gardeners  as  the  essentials  for  proper  development 
of  the  plants  they  wish  to  grow  therein. 

Where  true  peat  cannot  be  obtained,  leaf-mould  from 
the  woods,  black  muck  from  the  swamps,  well  decomposed 
and  sweetened  by  exposure,  or  thoroughly  rotted  turf 
mixed  with  powdered  charcoal,  are  the  best  substitutes.* 

The  depth  of  a  soil  is  quite  as  important  as  its  texture. 
If  not  naturally  deep,  it  must  be  made  so  by  trenching. 
Deep  soils  retain  a  constant  supply  of  moisture  in  dry 
weather,  so  that  the  plants  do  not  suffer ;  they  do  not  be- 
come too  wet  in  rainy  seasons,  as  the  earth  drinks  in  and 
retains  the  rain  below  the  surface ;  hence  they  are  not  so 


(Rural  Cyclopedia,  Dr.  Lindley.) 


THE    IMPROVEMENT    OF   THE    SOIL.  25 

liable  to  wash  away.  If  equally  rich,  they  furnish  plants 
with  a  more  abundant  supply  of  food  than  shallow  soils. 
Especially  for  all  tap-rooted  plants,  a  deep  soil  is  indis- 
pensable. In  the  preparation  of  your  garden,  then,  see 
that  the  ground  is  dry,  deep,  and  rich.  Good  vegetables 
will  not  grow  in  a  wet  soil ;  a  shallow  soil  will  not  fur- 
nish them  with  a  regular  supply  of  moisture ;  and  the  crops 
growing  upon  a  poor  soil  never  repay  the  labor  bestowed 
upon  it. 


CHAPTER     III. 

THE    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SOIL. 

A  soil  may  be  improved  in  texture,  in  depth,  and  by  the 
addition  of  such  constituents  necessary  for  the  growth  of 
plants  as  may  be  wanting. 

The  texture  of  a  clayey  soil  can  be  rendered  more  per- 
vious by  thorough  draining,  deep  trenching,  and  by  the 
application  of  sand,  ashes,  lime,  and  unfermented  manure. 
Any  clayey,  retentive  subsoil  will  be  greatly  benefited  by 
good  underdrains.  A  wet  soil  is  always  cold,  as  water 
has  a  much  greater  capacity  for  heat  than  has  earth. 
The  same  quantity  of  heat  that  will  warm  the  earth  four 
degrees  will  warm  water  but  one.  Water,  also,  is  a  bad 
conductor  of  lieat  downwards.  Boiling  water  can  be 
gently  poured  over  cold  water  without  heating  the  latter, 
except  a  very  little  at  the  surface.  Now,  if  the  soil  in 
spring  be  saturated  with  water  colder  than  the  summer 
rains,  unless  it  be  removed  by  drainage,  they  cannot  de- 
scend to  carry  warmth  into  the  ground ;  neither  will  the 
wet  soil  conduct  the  atmospheric  heat  downwards  with 
much  rapidity.  But  draw  off  the  cold  water  by  proper 


26  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

drains,  and  the  warmer  water  can  percolate  through  and 
raise  the  temperature  of  the  soil.  As  the  warmer  water 
settles,  the  porous  space  it  occupies  will  admit  warm  air. 
(Thompson.)  Drainage,  also,  by  admitting  the  atmos- 
phere, renders  the  soil  much  more  friable.  Soils  well 
drained  have  likewise  been  found  to  suffer  far  less  from 
summer  droughts  than  before.  Underdrains  should  be 
not  less  than  three  feet  below  the  surface,  and  four  feet 
is  much  to  be  preferred. 

Trenching  renders  the  upper  stratum  of  soil  more  light 
and  friable,  acting  as  drainage,  but  imperfectly.  Its  great 
utility  is  in  increasing  the  quantity  of  soil  to  which  the 
roots  of  plants  find  access. 

Ashes  and  lime  each  have  the  property  of  rendering 
heavy  soils  lighter,  and  light  soils  more  tenacious,  and 
both  more  productive,  especially  for  potatoes,  turnips, 
beets,  and  peas,  which  delight  in  calcareous  soils.  In  cold 
climates,  plowing  clay  lands  deeply  in  the  fall,  and  expos- 
ing them  to  the  action  of  the  winter's  frost,  is  very  bene- 
ficial, but  in  sections  where  there  is  little  frost  and  abun- 
dant and  heavy  washing  rains,  it  is  worse  than  useless. 
Turning  under  coarse  vegetable  or  carbonaceous  matter, 
as  straw,  leaves,  pine  straw,  corn-stalks,  a  crop  of  cow- 
peas,  clover,  or  any  other  green  crop,  bog  or  leaf-mould, 
decomposed  peat,  and  even  tan-bark  itself,  so  deeply  be- 
neath the  surface  as  not  to  interfere  with  cultivation,  will 
by  the  slow  decomposition  of  these  materials  much  increase 
the  fertility  of  a  clay  soil  by  improving  its  texture.  It  is 
most  improved  by  drainage  if  needed. 

The  frequent  working  of  the  soil  with  the  hoe  and 
spade,  thereby  admitting  the  ammonia  and  fertilizing 
gases  of  the  atmosphere,  is  itself  very  beneficial  to  clay 
soils,  if  done  when  the  earth  is  dry.  A  clay  soil  is  ex- 
ceedingly injured  if  worked  while  wet.  It  is  so  difficult 
to  work,  and  so  liable  to  bake  into  a  hard  crust  after  ev- 
ery rain,  that  it  will  well  repay,  where  materials  for  the 


THE    IMPROVEMENT   OP   THE   SOIL.  27 

purpose  are  at  all  convenient,  to  lay  out  a  good  deal  of 
time  and  labor  in  improving  its  mechanical  texture. 

The  texture  of  a  sandy  soil  is  much  more  easily  improv- 
ed than  a  clay,  as  the  percentage  of  clay  required  to  con- 
vert any  sand  into  a  loam  is  not  very  large  and  can  easily 
be  added.  Fortunately,  too,  in  sandy  soils,  clay  is  gene- 
rally near  at  hand,  often  lying  but  a  few  inches  beneath 
the  surface.  A  few  loads  of  stiff  clay,  scattered  thinly 
over  the  surface  in  autumn,  arc  worth  more  applied  to 
such  a  soil  than  any  manure,  for  the  clay  will  render  ma- 
nures permanent  in  their  effect,  which  else  would  leach 
through  without  benefit  to  the  crops.  The  effect  of  the 
clay  itself  is  lasting.  Lime,  as  before  observed,  stiffens 
the  texture  of  a  sandy  soil,  and  gypsum  has  the  same 
effect.  Ashes,  leached  or  unleached,  are  also  an  excellent 
and  profitable  dressing  to  such  a  soil,  but  the  best  of  all 
applications  is  a  good  clay  marl.  Peat,  vegetable  manure, 
and  carbonaceous  matters  of  all  kinds,  such  as  refuse 
charcoal,  are  good  applications  to  these  sandy  soils,  as 
they  enable  them  better  to  retain  the  fertilizing  proper- 
ties of  the  manure  applied,  though  they  do  not  much  affect 
the  texture  of  the  soil.  Sandy  soils  very  often  rest  upon 
a  clay  bottom,  so  that  the  thorough  trenching  which  a 
garden  should  receive  will  often  greatly  improve  its  tex- 
ture. Working  such  a  soil  while  wet,  and  the  continual 
use  of  the  roller,  will  also  render  it  more  tenacious.  But 
clay  is  the  great  improver,  and  it  is  astonishing  how  small 
a  quantity  of  fine  clay  will  cement  a  loose  sand  into  a 
good  loam. 

To  conclude,  in  regard  to  the  texture  of  soils,  choose  or 
make  for  your  garden  a  loam  of  medium  texture  a  little 
inclined  to  sand,  and  the  finer  its  particles  the  better. 
Clays  and  sands  both  become  objectionable  as  they  depart 
from  this  friable,  loamy  texture,  and  the  first  step  in  their 
improvement  is  to  bring  them  to  this  condition.  A  medium 
consistency  best  agrees  with  vegetation. 


28  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

The  depth  of  soil  in  the  garden  is  as  likely  to  need  im- 
provement as  its  texture.  A  deep  soil  is  necessary  that 
the  roots  may  penetrate  it  freely  in  search  of  food,  and  be 
able  to  endure  our  summer  droughts.  The  roots  of  a 
strawberry  have  been  traced  five  feet  down  in  a  deep, 
rich  soil.  The  difference  in  the  freshness  and  growth  of 
plants  raised  upon  trenched  soils,  and  those  growing  upon 
soils  prepared  in  the  common  manner,  is  remarkable.  In 
lawns,  the  color  of  the  grass  will  indicate  very  exactly 
the  greater  or  less  depth  of  the  soil.  The  depth  of  soils 
may  be  increased  by  subsoil  plowing,  or  trenching. 

Trenching  is  the  mode  of  improving  the  depth  of  the 
soil  in  smaller  gardens,  and  is  usually  performed  in  this 
manner :  At  one  end  of  the  plot  to  be  trenched,  you  dig 
with  the  spade  a  trench  three  feet  wide,  and  two  feet  deep ; 
you  throw  the  earth  out  on  the  side  away  from  the  plot 
to  be  trenched.  Shovel  the  bottom  clean,  and  make  the 
sides  perpendicular,  leaving  a  clear  open  trench  across 
the  plot.  Open  another  trench  the  same  width,  and  put 
the  surface  spadefull  of  that  into  the  bottom  of  the  former 
trench,  and  the  next  spadefull  upon  that,  until  opened  to 
the  same  depth  as  the  first  one,  adding  meanwhile  the 
necessary  manures  and  amendments.  When  the  plot  is 
entirely  trenched  in  this  w^ay,  the  last  trench  will  remain 
open,  which  must  be  filled  with  the  earth  thrown  out  from 
the  first  one,  which  finishes  the  work. 

Most  subsoils  are,  however,  so  poor  that  this  mode  of 
trenching  will  do  more  harm  than  good,  except  in  worn- 
out  soils  or  in  old,  overrich  gardens.  It  is,  in  general,  a 
better  plan  to  remove  from  the  first  trench  opened  all  the 
rich  surface  mould,  and  place  it  on  one  side ;  then  trench 
the  subsoil  to  the  required  depth,  throwing  out  enough 
earth  at  one  end  of  the  trench  to  give  room  to  operate, 
leaving  it  still  at  the  bottom.  If  the  subsoil  is  stiff,  it 
will  be  greatly  improved  by  intermixing  with  it  while 
trenching,  as  t{  amendments,"  leaves,  straw,  tan-bark, 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  SOIL.          29 

saw-dust,  or  any  other  vegetable  refuse,  putting  the 
coarsest  materials  at  the  bottom.  Now  cover  the  loosen- 
ed subsoil  with  surface  mould  from  the  adjacent  strip, 
which  is  next  to  be  trenched,  and  loosen  the  bottom  of 
this  strip  also  to  the  required  depth,  adding  amendments 
as  before.  Proceed  thus  until  the  plot  is  finished,  cover- 
ing the  subsoil  of  the  last  strip  with  the  surface  mould 
taken  from  the  first  one  opened.  If  the  soil  is  too  light, 
clay  should  be  added  to  it  while  being  trenched.  If  it 
needs  drainage,  the  drains  should  be  laid  at  the  same  time. 
Drain  tile  forms  the  most  perfect  mode  of  drainage  where 
they  can  be  obtained  at  a  reasonable  rate.  They  should 
be  laid  deep,  below  the  bottom  of  the  trenches. 

Trenching  is  an  expensive  operation,  but  u  nothing," 
says  Mr.  Barry,  "  is  so  expensive  and  troublesome,  as  an 
ill-prepared  soil."  This  process  is  found  to  be  of  great 
advantage  in  England,  where  there  is  no  lack  of  moisture, 
and  still  more  so  by  the  market  gardeners  of  the  North  ; 
while  in  our  own  dry,  warm  climate,  it  is,  as  I  know  by 
trial,  absolutely  indispensable.  Ground  thus  prepared  is 
not  so  liable  to  wash  away,  as  it  will  readily  soak  up  the 
heaviest  rain,  if  properly  terraced.  There  is  no  poinC  of 
greater  importance  than  this.  Poor  ground  deeply  mov- 
ed sometimes  yields  better  than  rich  with  shallow  tillage, 
and  when  the  ground  has  been  prepared  once  in  this  man- 
ner, it  will  feel  the  benefit  forever  after.  Increasing  the 
depth  of  the  soil  in  this  jnode  is  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses increasing  the  size  of  your  garden;  for  one-fourth 
of  an  acre  thus  prepared  will  yield  in  a  dry  season  as 
much  as  an  acre  will  with  shallow  tillage ;  and  the  growth 
of  the  plants  in  a  good  season  will  be  fully  doubled. 
Trees,  especially,  feel  the  benefit  of  this  preparation,  and 
all  fruit-gardens  should  be  tlms  prepared.  ~No  matter  how 
deep  you  may  wrork  the  soil  for  trees  or  plants,  their  fibers 
will  penetrate  it,  and  feel  the  good  effect. 

Trenching  should  be  pel-formed  in  the  fall — the  coarse 


30  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

manure  dug  in  at  that  time.  At  the  top  it  should  be  well 
manured  with  well-rotted  dung,  charcoal  dust,  ashes,  or 
other  good  manure,  dug  in  shallow,  taking  care  to  level 
the  ground  while  trenching,  so  as  to  prevent  washing. 
Another  good  coat  of  compost  should  be  added  just  be- 
fore planting  in  the  spring. 

Subsoil  plowing. is  much  cheaper  and  answers  a  very 
good  purpose  when  the  spot  to  be  prepared  is  large.  A 
common  turning  plow  goes  first,  and  plows  as  deep  a  fur- 
row as  practicable.  It  is  followed  by  the  subsoil  plow  in 
the  same  furrow,  which  should  loosen  the  soil,  without  turn- 
ing it  up,  to  the  depth  of  eighteen  or  twenty  inches,  unless 
it  is  a  stiff  clay  or  gravel. 


CHAPTER     IV. 

MANURES. 

Anything  which,  by  being  added  to  the  soil  directly  or 
indirectly,  promotes  the  growth  of  plants,  may  be  consid- 
ered a  manure.  Strictly  speaking,  manures  are  the  arti- 
ficial food  supplied  to  plants.  Those  substances,  that,  when 
added  to  the  soil,  promote  plant-growth  more  by  changing 
its  texture,  correcting  its  acidity,  and  otherwise  modifying 
its  condition  than  by  the  nourishment  they  directly  afford 
to  plants,  we  shall,  borrowing  a  French  term,  call  amend- 
ments. Such  are  sand,  coal  ashes,  lime,  clay,  marl,  old 
plaster,  etc.,  when  applied  to  soils  that  need  them.  Many 
of  these  substances,  like  marl,  lime,  rubbish,  rotten  chips, 
broken  charcoal,  etc.,  act  both  as  manures  and  amend- 
ments. 

Manures  may  be  classified  into  organic,  inorganic,  and 


MANURES.  31 

mixed ;  into  nitrogenous,  carbonaceous,  earthy,  and  saline ; 
and  into  general  and  special.  Organic  manures  include 
those  both  of  animal  and  vegetable  origin ;  inorganic  ma- 
nures are  derived  from  minerals. 

Manures  may  have  a  two-fold  action— directly  assisting 
vegetable  growth  by  entering  into  the  composition  of 
plants,  and  by  supplying  them  with  moisture  and  nutri- 
tive gases  which  they  absorb  from  the  atmosphere.  Ma- 
nures may  also  indirectly  assist  the  growth  of  plants 
either  by  destroying  vermin  or  weeds ;  by  decomposing  in 
the  soil,  and  rendering  available  any  stubborn  organic  re- 
mains therein  ;  by  protecting  plants  from  sudden  changes 
of  temperature ;  or  they  may  act  as  amendments  by  im- 
proving the  texture  and  physical  condition  of  the  soil. 
All  the  above  properties  probably  never  are  combined  in 
any  one  manure,  each  being  characterized  by  superiority 
in  some  one  of  the  above  qualities. 

The  manures  most  generally  applicable  are  those  com- 
posed of  substances  which  directly  enter  into  and  are  es- 
sential to  the  growth  of  plants.  What  are  these  sub- 
stances ? 

"  Plants,"  says  Liebig,  "  contain  combustible  and  in- 
combustible ingredients.  The  latter,  which  compose  the 
ash  left  by  all  parts  of  plants  on  combustion,  consist,  in 
the  case  of  our  cultivated  plants,  essentially  of  phosphoric 
acid,  potash,  silicic  and  sulphuric  acids,  lime,  iron,  mag- 
nesia, and  chloride  of  sodium."  It  is  now  fully  establish- 
ed "  that  the  constituents  of  the  ash  are  elements  of  food, 
and  hence  indispensable  to  the  structure  of  the  different 
parts  of  the  plant." 

The  few  ashes  that  remain  after  burning  a  plant  are  all 
that  it  got  necessarily  from  the  soil.  From  eighty-eight 
to  ninety-nine  per  cent  of  the  weight  of  the  plant  has  es- 
caped into  the  air,  from  which,  and  from  water,  the  plant 
has  derived  it  immediately  or  remotely.  The  composition 
of  their  ashes  varies  in  different  parts  of  the  same  plant 


32  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

and  slightly  in  the  same  species  when  grown  on  different 
soils;  but  they  are  always  a  valuable  manure  for  the 
species  from  which  obtained,  and,  slowly  dissolving  in  the 
soil,  they  furnish  the  roots  with  just  the  salts  required  to 
nourish  the  growing  plant. 

But,  in  general,  over  nine  pounds  in  every  ten  have  dis- 
appeared under  the  action  of  fire.  The  combustible  por- 
tions which  have  been  expelled  are  carbon,  hydrogen, 
oxygen,  and  a  little  nitrogen,  which  have  been  derived 
from  carbonic  acid,  water,  and  ammonia,  which  are,  as 
elements  of  food,  equally  indispensable  as  the  substances 
of  which  the  ashes  of  plants  are  composed. 

The  incombustible  constituents  of  the  plant  come  from 
the  soil  alone,  and  are  taken  tip  by  the  roots. 

After  the  gaseous  constituents  of  plants  are  driven  off 
by  combustion,  the  small  percentage  of  ashes  remaining, 
we  have  stated,  consists  of  silicic  and  phosphoric  acids, 
potash,  sulphur,  lime,  magnesia,  iron,  chlorine  and  soda, 
(the  two  latter  generally  unite  as  chloride  of  sodium),  all 
of  which,  in  greater  or  less  proportions,  enter  into  the 
composition  of  our  field  and  garden  crops.  These  earthy 
or  saline  constituents  are  found  within  the  cells  of  plants, 
or  deposited  as  a  lining  to  the  cell-walls,  or  entering  into 
their  substance.  They  are  useful  to  the  plant  itself,  and 
useful  in  the  plant's  products  as  affording  food  to  man. 
Some  of  them  are  always  present  in  the  azotized  substances 
formed  by  plants.  Thus  sulphur  and  the  phosphates  are, 
with  ammonia,  necessary  for  the  formation  of  albumen, 
fibrin,  and  caseine,  which  are  essential  constituents  of  our 
blood. 

Of  these  substances  Lime,  Potash,  Soda,  Phosphoric 
Acid,  Sulphur,  and  Chlorine,  are  all  the  gardener  will 
have  occasion  to  supply,  the  others  being  always  present 
in  sufficient  quantity  in  all  cultivated  soils. 

Lime  generally  occurs  as  a  carbonate.  Partially  solu- 
ble in  water,  it  is  an  important  portion  of  food  to  most  of 


MANUKES.  33 

onr  cultivated  plants.  It  is  indispensable  to  such  plants 
as  beets,  potatoes,  peas,  beans,  fruit  trees,  and  vines,  but 
to  Kalmias  and  coniferous  trees  it  is  injurious.  It  is 
of  special  value  when  combined  with  phosphoric  acid,  as 
in  bone  earths,  or  with  the  sulphuric,  as  in  gypsum.  Linie 
in  the  soil  enables  it  better  to  absorb  and  retain  heat. 
It  is  of  great  value  as  an  application  to  cold,  tenacious 
soil-s,  rendering  them  of  more  open  texture,  and  making 
the  organic  matters  therein  available  to  plants.  It,  on  the 
other  hand,  makes  light  soils  more  adhesive,  acting  as  an 
amendment.  It  decomposes  organic  matters,  whether 
vegetable  or  animal,  and  forms  with  them  a  partially  solu- 
ble compound  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  food  of  plants. 
But  as  it  has  the  property  of  setting  free  ammonia,  it 
should  never  be  applied  in  connection  with  fresh  animal 
manures.  Mixed  with  stable  manure  or  guano,  it  would 
speedily  free  them  from  nearly  all  their  ammonia,  that  indis- 
pensable and  most  costly  constituent  of  the  food  of  plants. 

This  will  not  happen  to  any  great  extent,  and  there  will 
be  little  loss,  if  the  mixture  takes  place  in,  and  both  the 
lime  and  manure  are  entirely  covered  with  the  soil,  which 
will  at  once  absorb  whatever  ammonia  the  lime  sets  free. 

The  great  value  of  lime,  aside  from  the  small  quantity 
directly  available  to  plants,  is  in  hastening,  as  above  stat- 
ed, the  decomposition  of  decaying  matters  in  the  soil,  and 
rendering  them  assimilable  by  plants.  The  old  black' 
mould  of  kitchen  gardens  and  other  soils  rich  in  humus, 
it  will  suddenly  render  wonderfully  productive,  and  they 
will  consequently  speedily  become  exhausted,  unless  new 
supplies  of  organic  manures  are  added.  Lime  alone,  ad- 
ded to  a  soil,  will  speedily  exhaust  it  if  the  crops  are  re- 
moved and  no  return  of  manure  is  made. 

Potash  is  another  alkaline  substance  indispensable  to 
healthy  vegetation.  It  occurs  in  all  plants,  and  this,  and 
lime  and  soda,  are  regarded  by  Liebig  as  specially  destined 
to  serve  as  bases  for  the  organic  acids  of  vegetation, 

o* 


34  GARDENING  FOE  TUB  SOUTH. 

Caustic  potash  acts  upon  decaying  matters  like  lime.  As 
a  manure,  it  is  always  used  in  the  form  of  a  salt,  generally 
as  a  carbonate,  but  also  as  a  chloride  and  a  nitrate.  As 
a  carbonate,  it  is  found  in  wood  ashes,  which  are  every- 
where considered  as  a  most  valuable  manure,  and  which 
add  great  efficacy  to  all  composts  to  which  they  are  ap- 
plied. The  abundant  potash  from  burning  the  brush  and 
timber  is  one  cause  of  the  great  fertility  of  freshly  cleared 
lands.  Chloride  of  potassium  exists  in  soapboilers'  refuse, 
which  is  a  good  manure,  chiefly  from  the  presence  of  this 
salt  therein.  Nitrate  of  potash  (saltpetre)  is  the  most 
useful  of  the  salts  of  potash,  promoting  the  vigor  of  plants 
and  rendering  their  tissues  solid.  Potash,  like  lime,  should 
not  be  combined  with  animal  manures,  but  in  composts 
of  vegetable  refuse  will  be  found  very  useful,  particularly 
as  an  application  to  vines  and  fruit  trees.  Upon  turnips, 
cabbages,  and  other  members  of  the  cabbage  tribe,  it  has, 
when  applied  in  the  form  of  soapsuds,  an  immediate  good 
effect.  (Zrindley.) 

Soapsuds  is  also  most  excellent  as  a  manure  for  roses. 
Potash  has  the  same  effect  as  lime  upon  the  texture  of 
soils,  in  rendering  adhesive  ones  more  friable,  and  light 
ones  more  adhesive.  Soils,  in  cultivation,  if  not  manured, 
soon  part  with  so  much  of  their  soluble  potash,  that  rest 
and  fallowing  are  required  to  render  available  that  which 
exists  naturally  in  all  clayey  soils,  but  not  in  a  soluble 
form  to  the  extent  required  by  growing  plants.  After 
ammonia  and  phosphoric  acid,  potash  is  the  most  likely  to 
be  of  benefit  to  the  soil. 

Soda  is  present  in  the  structure  of  plants,  but  in  smaller 
quantities  than  potash,  for  which  it  is  regarded  by  Liebig 
as  a  natural  equivalent.  Some  plants  which  naturally 
grow  in  a  soil  containing  a  salt  of  soda  will  grow  equally 
well  if  a  salt  of  potash  is  present,  while,  if  both  are  ab- 
sent from  the  soil,  they  will  not  thrive.  Hence  if  a  soil 
contain  enough  alkaline  matter  for  many  plants,  it  does 


MANURES.  85 

not  much  matter  whether  it  be  potash  or  soda ;  but  in 
general  it  will  be  more  productive  if  both  these  alkalies 
are  present.  For  plants  which  naturally  inhabit  the  sea- 
shore, such  as  asparagus  and  sea  kale,  its  presence  in  the 
form  of  common  salt  (Chloride  of  sodium)  is  indispensa- 
ble. (Lindley.}  The  nitrate  of  soda  is  similar  in  its 
beneficial  action  upon  plants  to  the  nitrate  of  potash,  but 
it  is  not  yet  settled  whether  the  good  effects  of  these  salts 
are  owing  to  their  nitrogen,  or  in  part  to  their  alkali. 

Phosphoric  Acid, — Next  to  ammonia,  this  is  usually 
the  most  necessary  application  to  soils,  because  the  first 
element  exhausted.  Where  not  present  in  sufficient  quan- 
tity, its  supply,  artificially,  is  even  of  more  urgent  neces- 
sity. A  supply  of  ammonia  may,  in  some  measure,  be  de- 
rived from  the  atmosphere,  but  the  phosphates  must  be 
restored  by  man.  The  presence  of  the  phosphates  in  the 
soil  is  required  that  ammonia  may  have  its  full  effect. 

u  In  wild  plants,  the  phosphates  are  less  abundant  than 
in  cultivated  crops.  The  latter  produce  a  large  quantity 
of  blood,  forming  food  in  a  short  space  of  time ;  hence 
more  phosphates  are  required.  All  plants  that  are  useful 
for  animal  food  have  great  power  of  taking  up  the  phos- 
phates, and  cultivation  increases  this  power.  Evergreen 
and  perennial  plants  extend  their  vegetating  processes 
over  many  years,  and  do  not  in  a  given  period  require  so 
large  a  quantity  of  the  phosphates  as  the  ordinary  culti- 
vated plants,  and  their  falling  leaves  restore  much  of  the 
inorganic  matter  to  the  soil.  But  cultivated  plants  are 
mostly  annual  and  herbaceous,  grow  rapidly,  and  require 
an  abundance  of  phosphates,  which  are  annually  removed 
with  the  crop.  If  the  crop,  like  that  of  wild  plants,  was 
left  upon  the  soil,  the  plants  in  their  decay  would  restore 
all  they  had  taken.  Phosphoric  acid  is  present  in  the 
blood,  is  a  constituent  of  the  brain  and  nerves,  and  enters 
largely  into  the  bones  of  the  animals  that  consume  these 
plants  or  their  seeds  and  roots.  Providence  never  per- 


36  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

mits  food-plants  to  grow,  unless  all  the  elements  are  with- 
in their  reach  that  are  necessary  to  nourish  and  develope 
the  bodies  of  the  beings  that  are  to  feed  upon  them.  Those 
manures  are  most  valuable  which  furnish  the  materials 
necessary  for  forming  the  azotized  compounds  required 
for  the  food  of  man  and  animals.  Hence  the  great  value 
of  manures  containing  ammonia  and  the  phosphates  which 
do  not  exist  abundantly  and  are  annually  required  and 
taken  away  by  the  crops."  (Balfour,  Liebig.) 

"  Alkaline  and  earthy  phosphates  form,"  says  Liebig, 
"  invariable  constituents  of  the  seeds  of  all  kinds  of  grass- 
es, of  beans,  peas,  and  lentils."  It  is  said,  in  the  ash  of 
tea-leaves,  they  amount  to  17  per  cent. 

Bones,  certain  mineral  substances,  and  the  phosphatic 
guanos,  contribute  to  furnish  the  necessary  supply.  The 
apparent  effect  of  phosphates  applied  to  t!he  soil  is  to  stim- 
ulate vegetation  and  to  promote  the  formation  of  roots. 
If  used  for  the  drainage  of  pots  in  the  form  of  broken 
bones,  or  at  the  bottom  of  vine  borders,  the  roots  soon 
find  their  way  down  to,  and  extract  nutriment  from  them. 

The  phosphates,  like  all  other  plant  food,  to  be  of  ser- 
vice, must  be  within  the  reach  of  the  roots  of  plants. 
Fertility  is  not  to  be  measured  by  the  quantity  of  plant 
food  a  soil  contains,  but  only  by  that  portion  which  exists 
in  a  finely  divided  state,  as  it  is  only  with  such  portions 
that  the  rootlets  of  plants  can  come  in  close  contact.  An 
ounce  of  bone  in  a  cubic  foot  of  soil  produces  no  marked 
effect  upon  its  fertility  if  unbroken.  Dissolve  it  and  let 
it  be  distributed  through  the  soil,  and  it  will  suffice  for  the 
food  of  120  wheat  plants.  The  most  abundant  applica- 
tion of  earthy  phosphates  in  coarse  powder  can,  in  its  ef- 
fects, bear  no  comparison  with  a  much  less  quantity, 
which,  in  a  state  of  minute  subdivision,  is  dispersed 
through  every  part  of  the  soil.  A  rootlet  requires,  where 
it  touches  the  soil,  a  most  minute  portion  of  food,  but  it 


MANURES.  37 

is  necessary  for  its  very  existence  that  this  minute  supply 
should  be  at  that  precise  spot.  (Liebig.) 

Phosphates,  then,  to  produce  their  best  effect,  must  bo 
made  soluble,  as  it  is  only  in  this  state  that  they  can  pene- 
trate every  portion  of  the  soil.  Broken  bones  dissolve 
and  part  with  their  phosphoric  acid  very  slowly  in  the 
soil,  but  what  good  effect  they  produce  continues  a  long 
time.  If  finely  ground,  the  present  good  effect  is  much 
more  evident.  By  mixing  them  in  this  state  with  sul- 
phuric acid,  it  combines  with  a  portion  of  the  lime,  con- 
verting it  into  gypsum  or  sulphate  of  lime ;  while  the  rest 
remains  in  combination  with  the  phosphoric  acid  as  a  bi- 
phosphate  (superphosphate)  of  lime.  This  is  soluble  in 
water,  and  when  applied  to  the  soil  is  diffused  through  it, 
and  can  be  readily,  and  if  not  in  excess,  soon  totally 
absorbed,  by  the  rootlets  of  growing  plants,  and  conse- 
quently its  good  effects  upon  the  soil  will  soon  disappear. 
One  peck  of  bones,  thus  prepared,  will  have  as  much  pres- 
ent effect  as  16  bushels  of  ground  bones  undissolvecl. 
(Lindley.) 

The  soluble  phosphates,  in  estimating  the  values  of  ma- 
nures, are  now  regarded  as  the  most  important  ingredient, 
next  to  ammoniacal  salts,  and,  as  before  stated,  are  often, 
indeed,  more  necessary  to  supply. 

Sulphur  i — Plants  contain,  either  deposited  in  their  roots 
or  seeds,  or  dissolved  in  their  juices,  variable  quantities 
of  compounds  containing  sulphur.  In  these,  nitrogen  is 
an  invariable  constituent.  These  are  always  accompanied 
by  alkaline  phosphates  and  alkaline  earths,  and  for  both, 
in  each  seed  there  exists  a  fixed  and  unchangeable  rela- 
tion; whenever  the  percentage  of  phosphoric  acid  in- 
creases or  diminishes  in  any  seed,  there  is  the  like  increase 
or  diminution  in  the  compounds  of  sulphur.  In  the  seeds 
of  cereals  and  in  those  of  leguminous  plants,  two  of  these 
compounds  exist,  and  a  third  in  the  juices  of  all  plants, 


38  GAEDEXING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

but  in  the  greatest  abundance  in  the  juices  of  those  plants 
we  use  for  the  table.  (Liebig.) 

This  sulphur  is  obtained  from  the  sulphates  naturally 
contained  in  or  applied  to  the  soil,  especially  from  gypsum, 
or  sulphate  of  lime.  Gypsum,  it  is  believed,  acts  in  two 
ways,  being  sparingly  soluble  in  water;  it  acts  directly 
as  food  for  plants,  supplying  them  with  sulphur  and  lime, 
and  indirectly,  by  its  action  on  the  volatile  carbonate  of 
ammonia  which  it  unites  with  and  fixes.  When  they  meet 
in  solution,  a  double  action  takes  place ;  both  substances 
are  decomposed,  and  their  elements  unite  in  the  forms  of 
carbonate  of  lime  and  sulphate  of  ammonia.  The  latter  salt 
is  not  volatile,  and  the  ammonia  is  thus  retained  in  the 
soil  for  the  use  of  the  crops.  Gypsum  is  very  beneficial 
to  green  crops,  as  the  cabbage,  potato,  also  to  maize,  and 
especially  to  clover,  peas,  and  other  leguminous  crops. 
(Lindley?)  A  bushel  of  it  has  been  known  to  yield  an 
extra  ton  of  clover  hay  to  the  acre  when  applied  broad- 
cast. Gypsum  is  very  useful  to  sprinkle  on  manure  heaps 
and  upon  the  contents  of  privies,  to  fix  the  ammonia  con- 
tained therein. 

Sulphur  alone  may  sometimes  be  used  to  advantage  as 
a  manure.  It  is  not  soluble  in  water,  but  when  finely  di- 
vided, it  will  slowly  unite  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air. 

Sulphur  is  destructive  to  most  insects,  and  found  very 
serviceable  to  sprinkle  about  green-houses  and  vineries  for 
the  prevention  of  mildew. 

Chlorine. — In  districts  remote  from  the  sea,  the  chlo- 
rides of  sodium,  calcium,  and  magnesia,  when  applied  to 
the  soil,  are  useful  to  vegetation.  These  compounds  are 
frequently  found  in  the  sap  of  plants.  As  nearly  all  soils 
contain  more  or  less  of  common  salt,  the  application  of 
any  chloride  is  seldom  absolutely  essential,  but  is  fre- 
quently very  serviceable,  especially  to  certain  crops. 

Chemistry  has  endeavored  to  ascertain  by  analyzing 
the  ashes  of  plants  whh;h  of  these  substances  is  most  im- 


MANURES.  39 

portant  to  a  given  plant.  As  a  result  of  these  inquiries, 
plants  have  been  divided  into  four  classes,  according  as 
one  or  another  inorganic  element  is  found  to  predominate 
in  their  ashes. 

1.  jSilex  Plants. — Those  that  abound  m  silica,  as  the 
grasses,  equisetums,  etc. 

2.  Alkali  Plants. — Those  that  contain  alkaline  salts  in 
large  proportions,  as  beets,  potatoes,  and  the  vine.     Pot- 
ash salts  are  necessary  to  all  land  plants,  especially  to 
conifers  and  other  trees,  while  soda  salts,  particularly  its 
chloride,  to  all  marine  plants. 

3.  Lime  Plants. — Those  that  contain  the  earths,  espe- 
cially lime  and  magnesia,  as  clover,  peas,  beans,  etc. 

4.  Phosphorus  Plants. — Those  that  contain  the  phos- 
phates, as    the    cereals,  wheat,  corn,    rye,  oats,    fruits. 
All  food-bearing  plants  contain  more  or  less  of  the  phos- 
phates in  their  ashes,  as  cabbages,  turnips,  onions,  etc. 

Phosphates  of  lime  and  potash  are  the  inorganic  sub- 
stances most  likely  to  be  needed  in  soils,  as  they  are  soon- 
est exhausted.  The  salts  of  lime,  as  the  carbonate  and 
sulphate,  after  these,  are  generally  next  valuable.  Lime, 
however,  is  injurious  to  heaths.  Nitrogenous  manures,  so 
generally  serviceable,  are  injurious  to  conifers  and  stone 
fruits.  (Lindley.) 

An  analysis  of  stable  manure  shows  it  to  contain  all  the 
elements  required  for  the  food  of  plants ;  every  part  of  it 
has  been  formed  of  vegetable  products,  and  is  ready  when 
rendered  soluble  to  enter  into  and  minister  again  to  their 
growth. 

The  decayed  parts  of  any  plant  rendered  soluble,  and 
likewise  its  ashes,  are  among  the  best  manures  for  plants 
of  its  own  species.  Vineyards  have  been  kept  fertile  by 
digging  into  the  soil  the  fresh  prunings  of  the  vines,  and 
indeed  are  said  to  have  increased  in  richness  from  the 
slight  manuring  their  own  leaves  afford.  So  forests,  we 
know,  are  enriched  by  the  falling  leaves. 


40  GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

It  is  by  putrefaction  that  all  animal  and  vegetable  re- 
mains are  rendered  available  to  plants,  but  if  they  are  al- 
lowed to  decompose  without  care,  the  loss  is  immense  ;  the 
soluble  parts  are  washed  away,  the  gases  pass  off  into  the 
air,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  manure  is  dissipated. 

The  Indirect  Action  of  Manures.  —  Some  manures 
ameliorate  the  soil  by  absorbing  and  retaining  moisture 
from  the  atmosphere.  This  property  is  as  beneficial  to 
a  clay  as  to  a  sandy  soil  during  drought,  as  at  such  times 
clays  are  often  baked  so  as  to  be  impervious  to  the  dew 
and  suffer  nearly  or  quite  as  much  as  more  sandy  soils. 
The  best  aborbents  of  moisture  are  stable  manure,  thor- 
oughly decomposed  tan-bark,  and  the  manure  of  the  cow 
and  pig,  in  the  order  named.  After  these  come  sheep  and 
fowl  manure,  salt,  soot,  and  even  burnt  clay  is  not  with- 
out its  virtue.  All  these  absorbents  are  much  more  effec- 
tual when  finely  divided,  and  the  soil  itself  is  a  good  ab- 
sorbent in  proportion  to  its  richness,  fineness,  and  the 
friability  produced  by  frequent  culture.  In  the  power  of 
retaining  moisture  absorbed,  pig  manure  stands  preemi- 
nent ;  next  that  of  the  horse,  then  common  salt  and  soot. 

Some  manures  are  beneficial  in  absorbing  not  only  mois- 
ture, but  nutritious  gases  from  the  atmosphere,  which  they 
yield  to  the  roots  in  a  concentrated  form.  All  animal  and 
vegetable  manures  have  the  power  of  attracting  oxygen 
from  the  air  during  decomposition.  Charcoal  and  all  car- 
bonaceous matters  have  the  power  of  absorbing  carbonic 
acid  gas  in  large  quantities,  supplying  constantly  to  the 
roots  of  plants  an  atmosphere  of  carbonic  acid,  which  is 
renewed  as  quickly  as  it  is  abstracted.  The  same  sub- 
stances are  especially  valuable  for  their  power  of  absorb- 
ing ammonia.  Charcoal  will  absorb  ninety  times  its  vol- 
ume of  ammoniacal  gas,  which  can  be  separated  by  simply 
moistening  it  with  water. 

Decayed  wood  absorbs  seventy  times  its  volume,  while 


MANURES.  41 

leaf-mould,  perfectly  rotted  tan-bark,  and  in  fact  all  vege- 
table manures,  are  exceedingly  valuable  in  this  respect. 

Manures  indirectly  assist  the  growth  of  plants  hy  de- 
stroying weeds  and  predatory  vermin.  This  is  not  a  prop- 
erty of  animal  and  vegetable  manures,  (except  that  guano 
repels  most  insects).  They  foster  these  enemies  of  the  crop, 
but  salt,  lime,  and  ashes,  applied  to  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
are  very  destructive  to  nearly  all  insects,  while  the  roots 
of  weeds  and  grasses,  if  composted  with  ashes  or  lime,  are 
completely  destroyed  and  converted  into  an  excellent  ma- 
nure. 

Another  indirect  action  of  manure  in  assisting  the  growth 
of  plants  is  in  decomposing  and  rendering  available  any 
stubborn  organic  substances  in  the  soil.  Stable  manure, 
and  all  decomposing  animal  and  vegetable  substances, 
have  a  tendency  to  promote  the  decay  of  any  organic  re- 
mains in  the  soil.  All  putrescent  substances  hasten  the 
process  of  putrefaction  in  other  organic  bodies  with  which 
they  come  in  contact.  Even  peat  and  tan-bark,  mingled 
with  stable  dung  and  Jcept  moist,  are  converted  into  good 
manure ;  common  salt  in  small  proportions  has  a  similar 
septic  property,  and  the  efficacy  of  lime  in  this  respect  is 
well  known. 

Ashes  are  of  equal  value,  but  not  so  easy  to  obtain  in 
sufficient  quantity.  Neither  ashes  or  lime  should  ever  be 
mixed  with  manures  that  are  rich  in  ammonia,  such  as 
cotton  seed  or  animal  manures,  as  they  would  cause  great 
waste  of  ammonia  by  setting  it  free  and  permitting  it  to 
be  lost  in  the  atmosphere. 

Inorganic  substances  are  sometimes  released  from  their 
combinations,  and  rendered  soluble  by  the  application  of 
carbonaceous  manures.  Ashes  from  which  the  soluble 
potash  has  been  leached,  if  composted  with  swamp  muck, 
are  enabled  to  furnish  plants  with  a  further  supply.  By 
composting  the  two,  the  value  of  both  is  greatly  increas- 
ed. Such  a  compost  may  be  mixed  with  ammoniacal  ma- 


42  GARDENING  FOE  TUB  SOUTH. 

nures,  not  only  without  loss,  but  with  decided  benefit,  and 
the  ammonia  will  be  retained. 

Another  indirect  agency  of  manures  is  in  protecting 
plants  from  sudden  changes  of  temperature.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  rich  soils  and  those  abounding  in  animal  and 
vegetable  remains,  are  less  liable  to  change  their  tempera- 
ture with  the  incumbent  atmosphere  than  those  of  poorer 
constituents,  for  the  decomposition  of  manures  gives 
warmth  to  the  soil.  Corn  can  be  grown  in  high  latitudes 
upon  rich  land  only ;  upon  a  poor  soil  it  would  perish. 

The  last  indirect  eifect  of  manures  upon  plants  is  by 
improving  the  texture  of  the  soils  in  which  they  grow. 
Decomposing  in  the  ground,  they  leave  interstices  as  they 
become  less  in  bulk,  making  it  more  light  and  porous. 
The  effect  of  manure  in  rendering  a  stiff  soil  light  and 
friable  is  very  well  known.  It  is  equally  true  that  vege- 
table manures  give  to  sandy  soils  greater  tenacity,  ena- 
bling them  better  to  retain  moisture  and  ammonia. 

Manures,  then,  should  be  adapted  to  soils  and  circum- 
stances. Cohesive  and  binding  manures  are  most  suitable 
for  open  sands ;  those  of  open  texture,  for  stiff  clays ;  those 
that  readily  attract  and  retain  moisture,  for  dry  soils ;  heat- 
ing, dry,  strawy,  and  turfy  manures,  for  wet  or  clayey 
soils ;  and  those  of  slow  decomposition  for  hungry  gravels. 


CHAPTER     V. 

MANURES.— THEIR    SOURCES    AND    PREPARATION. 

Having  considered  the  modes  in  which  manures  act  up- 
on the  growth  of  plants,  a  still  more  important  inquiry 
remains,  viz. :  What  manures  can  we  obtain  and  render 
available  ?  The  scarcity  of  manures  with  us  is  a  great  dif- 
ficulty in  gardening.  But  a  small  amount  of  live  stock  is 


MANURES.— THEIR   SOURCES   AND   PREPARATION.         43 

kept  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  acres  in  cultivation. 
What  is  thus  obtainable  is  not  well  husbanded,  and  is 
needed  for  corn  and  cotton.  Still,  on  most  country  places, 
enough  is  wasted  to  supply  not  only  the  garden,  but  to 
leave  a  surplus  for  the  field  crops.  In  town^  wherever  a 
horse  and  cow  can  be  kept,  enough  can  be  made  for  a  larg 
garden,  while  even  a  pig,  if  kept  at  work  in  his  pen,  with 
the  aid  of  soapsuds  from  the  house,  will  convert  some 
fifteen  loads  of  weeds,  yard  sweepings,  chips,  tan-bark, 
and  leaves,  into  a  valuable  manure. 

Of  Saline  and  Earthy  Manures  the  most  available  are 
ashes,  leached  and  unleached,  which  should  be  most  care- 
fully saved,  as  potash  is  one  of  the  elements  drawn  most 
largely  from  the  soil,  and  this  ashes  supply  most  cheaply. 
They  contain  besides  potash,  phosphoric  and  sulphuric 
acids,  manganese,  chlorine,  soda,  magnesia,  carbonate  of 
lime,  and  soluble  silica.  They  may  be  applied  directly  to 
any  crops,  and  especially  to  fruit  trees.  Composted  with 
swamp  earth  and  other  vegetable  matter,  they  correct  its 
acidity,  and  form  an  excellent  manure  for  all  crops,  and  in 
connection  with  lime  form  the  best  compost  for  orchards. 

Lime  may  be  applied  in  this  compost  for  trees  and  for 
all  garden  crops.  Shell  lime  is  the  best  to  employ,  as  it 
contains  some  phosphate  of  lime,  which  is  still  more  valua- 
ble. If  liine  is  used  alone,  mix  it  intimately  with  the  sur- 
face soil,  but  do  not  plow  or  spade  it  in.  Its  efiect  in  im- 
proving the  texture  of  soils,  we  have  already  considered. 
In  soils  of  but  moderate  fertility  and  free  from  carbona- 
ceous matters,  it  is  often  more  injurious  than  useful. 

Lime  rul)Msh  from  old  brick  walls,  and  the  plastering 
of  old  houses,  contains  nitrate  of  lime.  This  salt  furnishes 
nitrogen  abundantly  to  plants.  This  rubbish  also  contains 
a  portion  of  hair  and  silicate  of  lime,  and  is  a  very  power- 
ful manure.  One  ton  is  sufficient  for  an  acre. 

Common  salt,  on  lands  so  distant  from  the  sea  that  the 


44  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

spray  does  not  reach  them,  is  a  very  beneficial  manure. 
It  is  the  cheapest  mode  of  supplying  plants  with  soda  and 
chlorine,  and  of  course  is  beneficial  to  apply  to  asparagus 
and  other  marine  plants.  The  refuse  salt  which  has  been 
used  for  bacon  is  the  most  valuable,  as  it  contains  in  addi- 
tion the  blood  and  juices  of  the  meat,  which  greatly  in- 
crease its  virtues.  It  may  be  directly  applied  to  aspara- 
gus without  injury,  and  at  the  rate  of  six  or  eight  bushels 
per  acre  applied  in  autumn,  it  benefits  all  garden  crops, 
keeping  the  soil  moist  and  free  from  insects  and  worms. 
It  is  well  to  supply  it  at  the  same  time  with  lime,  in  the 
lime  and  salt  mixture  hereafter  described. 

Gypsum* — Of  this  a  very  small  quantity  will  suffice. 
One  bushel  per  acre  yearly  is  all  that  is  needed.  In  ab- 
sorbing ammonia  from  the  manure  heap,  charcoal  dust  and 
leaf-mould  are  much  cheaper.  It  is  the  cheapest  way  of 
supplying  the  soil  with  what  sulphur  is  required. 

Marl,  where  it  can  be  obtained,  may  be  applied  with 
advantage,  especially  to  sandy  soils.  It  is  generally  bene- 
ficial in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  lime  it  contains. 

Some  marls  contain  both  phosphate  of  lime  and  potash 
in  considerable  quantities,  and  hence  are  of  increased 
value.  Before  largely  applying  it,  experiments  should  be 
made  on  a  small  scale,  as  some  marls,  upon  trial,  are  found 
to  be  injurious. 

Soot  is  rich  in  ammonia ;  very  little  of  this  can  be  pro- 
cured, but  it  should  be  carefully  preserved  and  applied  in 
small  quantities  to  cabbage  and  other  plants  infested  with 
insects.  It  drives  these  off,  and  its  ammonia  also  promotes 
the  growth  of  the  plants. 

The  Nitrates  of  Potash  and  Soda  are  applied  in  a  finely 
powdered  state  during  wet  weather  by  English  cultivators, 
and  are  found  useful  upon  clays  and  loams,  but  of  no  bene< 
fit  on  light,  sandy  soils. 

Burnt  Clay  has  been  found  to  possess  considerable  value 


MANURES. — THEIR   SOURCES    AND   PREPARATION.         45 

as  a  manure.  By  burning,  it  loses  its  adhesiveness,  which 
in  its  natural  state  prevented  air  from  permeating  it,  and 
water  from  passing  off.  Its  saline  constituents,  and  those 
also  of  the  roots  of  the  plants  it  contains,  are  set  free, 
while  it  is  rendered  permeable  to  the  air  and  freely  admits 
the  advancing  roots  of  plants.  The  burnt  particles  ab- 
sorb ammonia  from  the  air,  and  hold  it  in  their  pores  until 
washed  out  by  showers  into  the  soil  to  act  as  nourishment 
for  the  crops.  It  may  be  prepared  in  connection  with 
charcoal,  as  hereafter  shown.  There  is  some  loss  of  or- 
ganizable  matter  which  is  more  than  made  up  by  chemical 
changes  produced. 

Organic  Manures,  beginning  with  those  of  vegetable 
origin.  The  very  best  is  cotton  seed  cake,  where  it  can  be 
obtained.  Properly  prepared,  it  is  scarcely  inferior  in 
strength  to  guano  itself.  It  may  be  applied  with  advan- 
tage to  any  crop. 

Charcoal  renders  the  soil  light  and  friable,  gives  it  a 
dark  color,  and  additional  warmth  for  early  crops.  The 
bed  whereon  charcoal  has  been  burnt  is  always  marked 
by  a  most  vigorous  growth  of  plants  when  it  becomes 
sufficiently  mixed  with  earth.  It  contains  also  small  quan- 
tities of  salts  of  potash  and  other  fertilizing  salts. 

It  absorbs  both  carbonic  acid  and  ammonia  from  the 
air,  and  yields  them  to  the  roots  of  plants.  It  is  most 
marked  in  its  effects  on  plants  which  require  abundant 
nitrogen.  As  it  is  indestructible,  its  beneficial  effects  last 
as  long  as  it  remains  in  the  soil,  supplying  the  rootlets  of 
plants  with  carbonic  acid,  which  is  renewed  as  fast  as  ab- 
stracted. Its  good  effects  begin  to  be  seen  when  the  dust 
is  applied  at  the  rate  of  forty  bushels  per  acre.  Charcoal 
is  invaluable  for  destroying  the  odor  of  decaying  animal 
matter,  retaining  all  the  gases  in  its  own  substance  ready 
to  yield  them  up  for  the  use  of  plants.  Hence,  the  best 
application  of  this  substance  is  not  directly  to  the  soil,  but 


46  GARDENING  FOR  HIE  SOUTH. 

to  compost  it  with  putrescent  animal  matters,  urine  pr 
night  soil,  of  which  it  will  absorb  all  the  odor  and  fertil- 
izing gases  given  off  during  their  decomposition.  Com- 
posted with  the  last  named  substance,  it  becomes  pou- 
drette,  and  is  second  only  to  guano  as  a  fertilizer. 

In  striking  cuttings  or  potting  plants,  fine  charcoal  is  a 
valuable  substitute  for  sand,  plants  rooting  in  it  with  great 
certainty.  Plants  will^flourish  in  powdered  charcoal  alone 
with  considerable  vigor,  and,  added  to  the  other  materials 
used  in  potting,  it  is  found  greatly  to  promote  healthy 
growth  in  most  plants. 

Fine  charcoal  can  be  obtained  in  considerable  quantities 
from  the  old  hearths  where  it  has  been  burned ;  also  from 
the  refuse  of  smith's  shops,  founderies,  and  machine  shops. 
All  the  refuse  of  the  garden  that  will  not  decay,  pea-brush, 
trimmings  of  trees,  cabbage  and  corn  stalks,  together  with 
tan-bark,  saw-dust,  and  fresh  shavings,  may  be  collected,  the 
coarser  materials  placed  at  the  bottom  and  set  on  fire  when 
the  heap  is  building;  then  covered  with  the  finer,  beating 
all  well  together,  cover  it  well  with  short,  moist  rubbish, 
weeds  and  clods.  Bermuda  grass  turf  is  the  best  mate- 
rial for  this  purpose  if  you  are  troubled  with  it,  and  it  is 
better  if  it  has  been  obtained  from  a  clayey  loam.  After 
the  heap  is  well  on  fire,  clayey  turf,  together  with  the  clay 
of  the  soil,  may  be  added  to  the  top,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  the  charcoal  mixed  with  burnt  clay  is  thus  prepared. 
At  first  there  is  great  difficulty  to  keep  the  piles  on  fire, 
and  strict  attention  is  required.  Thrust  a  stake  in  differ- 
ent places,  that  the  fire  may  run  through  the  entire  heap, 
and  if  it  breaks  out  in  any  of  these,  stop  them  anew  with 
rubbish  and  brush,  cover  with  earth,  and  make  holes  in  a 
new  place.  When  the  smoke  subsides,  the  heap  is  char- 
red enough.  When  finished  and  the  fire  put  out,  store  it 
up  for  use.  The  mixture  thus  prepared  has  been  found 
beneficial  in  every  instance,  and  is  a  most  valuable  ma- 
nure, especially  for  roses,  producing  invariably  an  abun- 


MANURES. — THEIR   SOURCES   AXD   PREPARATION.         47 

dance  of  fibrous  roots,  clean,  healthy,  vigorous  growth, 
and  luxuriant  blooms.     (Paul.) 

Beside  charcoal,  there  are  many  other  vegetable  sub- 
stances of  great  value  as  absorbents  of  the  fertilizing  salts 
and  gases  that  would  otherwise  escape  from  animal  ma- 
nures. Carbonaceous  matter  of  every  sort  should  be  pro- 
vided for  this  purpose.  Gather  the  leaves  of  trees  of  all 
kinds,  including  pine  straw.  They  contain  many  substances 
necessary  for  the  growth  of  the  plants  from  which  they 
fall,  or  available  to  other  plants.  Throw  them  into  the 
stables  and  yards,  moisten  them  and  sprinkle  them  with 
the  lime  and  salt  mixture,  and  if  kept  in  a  damp  state  and 
turned  over  once  or  twice,  they  form  the  best  manure 
known  for  all  kinds  of  trees  and  shrubs,  and  indeed  afford 
all  the  necessary  constituents,  organic  and  inorganic,  of  all 
cultivated  plants. 

Swamp  Muck  is  another  valuable  absorbent.  Gather 
the  black  earth  of  swamps,  place  in  piles  and  let  it  dry  out 
the  superfluous  moisture,  and  haul  it  to  the  compost  heap 
or  yard.  Swamp  muck,  by  its  elasticity,  keeps  the  soil 
light  and  open,  and  is  excellent  both  for  absorbing  and  re- 
taining moisture  therein.  It  may  be  reduced  with  ashes 
or  lime,  either  of  which  will  destroy  all  its  naturally  acid 
properties.  The  salt  and  lime  mixture  is  the  best  and 
usually  the  cheapest  for  this  purpose,  but  leached  ashes 
mixed  with  carbonaceous  matter  have  an  additional  part 
of  their  potash  rendered  soluble  and  available  for  plants, 
and  should  be  used  thus  where  obtainable. 

The  Lime  and  Salt  Mixture  is  thus  prepared.  Take 
three  bushels  of  unslaked  lime,  dissolve  a  bushel  of  salt 
in  as  little  water  as  possible,  and  slake  the  lime  therewith. 
If  the  lime  will  not  take  up  all  the  brine  at  once,  (which  it 
will  if  good  and  fresh  burned),  add  a  little  more  of  the 
brine  daily,  turning  and  adding  until  all  is  taken  up. 
Keep  it  under  cover  until  wanted  for  use.  Of  itself  it 


48  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

supplies  plants  with  chlorine,  lime  and  soda,  and  acts  like 
lime  or  ashes  in  reducing  stubborn  vegetable  matters  and 
correcting  their  acid  properties. 

With  a  load  of  swamp  earth,  mix  a  bushel  and  a  half 
of  the  lime  and  salt  mixture  intimately  while  it  is  in  a 
moderately  moist  state,  and  in  thirty  days  it  will  be  de- 
composed. Upon  a  layer  of  this  earth  six  inches  thick, 
spread  a  coat  of  fresh  stable  manure,  each  day  covering  it 
with  ten  times  its  quantity  of  prepared  muck,  which  will 
absorb  all  the  gases  and  salts.  Let  the  pile  accumulate 
until  four  feet  high,  and  then  turn  it  all  over,  mix  it  again, 
and  cover  the  whole  with  a  thick  coat  of  prepared  muck. 
If  too  dry  to  ferment,  add  water,  and  in  three  weeks  it 
will  be  fit  for  use,  and  will  be  found  equal  to  common  sta- 
ble manure,  and  is  entirely  free  from  insects  of  all  kinds. 
In  reducing  composts  of  all  kinds,  the  heap  must  be  kept 
moist  or  no  fermentation  will  be  produced.  Keeping  it 
"  always  moist  but  never  leached  "  is  the  way  to  produce 
a  strong  compost. 

A  thick  layer  of  the  muck  should  be  kept  also  in  the 
hog-pens  and  stables  to  absorb  the  urine,  removing  the 
solid  manure  from  the  latter  daily,  and  the  muck  at  the 
end  of  each  week.  Upon  this  muck  also  the  house  slops 
of  all  kinds  should  be  poured,  and  M'here  charcoal  is  not 
employed,  a  bushel  every  three  days  should  be  thrown 
into  the  privy  to  destroy  the  offensive  gases  produced. 
The  muck,  whether  prepared  with  the  above  mixture,  with 
ashes  or  lime,  will  retain  all  the  virtues  of  the  animal  ma- 
nure. Neither  lime  nor  ashes,  unless  in  excess,  when  thus 
combined  with  vegetable  matters,  will  drive  off  the  am- 
monia. 

Leaf-mould,  or  the  black  surface  soil  of  the  woods,  is 
of  still  more  value.  This  is  free  from  the  acid  properties 
of  swamp  muck,  and  may  be  supplied  directly  to  most 
plants  in  the  flower-garden,  many  of  which  will  not  flour- 
ish unless  this  material  is  present  in  the  soil.  It  is  of  still 


MANURES. THEIR   SOURCES   AND   PREPARATION.         49 

more  importance  for  potting  plants  in  the  green-house. 
For  the  kitchen  and  fruit  garden  it  is  best  composted  like 
swamp  muck  with  fresh  animal  manure.  It  is  indispensa- 
ble in  garden  culture. 

Tan-bark  is  another  material  abounding  in  carbon, 
which  may,  to  some  extent,  be  used  as  an  absorbent  of 
animal  manure.  It  may  be  beneficially  applied  directly  to 
strawberries,  to  which  it«answers  the  double  purpose  of 
mulching  and  manure.  But  the  crowns  of  the  plants 
must  not  be  covered ;  and  for  all  purposes  it  should  be 
obtained  as  much  decomposed  as  possible.  Tan  may  be 
applied  directly  to  Irish  potatoes  when  ready  to  cover  in 
the  furrow.  After  they  are  dropped  and  the  manure  ap- 
plied, a  coat  of  old  tan,  "composted  with  ashes  or  the  lime 
and  salt  mixture,  may  be  given,  and  finish  planting  by 
covering  this  with  earth.  It  improves  the  yield  mate- 
rially and  the  quality  also,  as  all  carbonaceous  matters  do. 
Where  swamp  muck  or  leaf-mould  can  be  obtained,  it  is 
hardly  worth  while  to  use  tan  as  an  absorbent  of  animal 
manures. 

It  is  not  of  sufficient  value  to  be  worth  hauling  far.  In 
trenching,  it  may,  with  other  coarse  matters,  be  mixed 
with  the  bottom  soil  to  lighten  its  texture  and  act  as  a  res- 
ervoir of  moisture.  For  corn  it  may,  after  composting 
with  ashes,  be  mixed  with  the  surface  soil,  when,  if  not  in 
excess,  it  will  be  of  some  service  to  the  crop. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  reduce,  but  if  kept  moist,  the  lime 
and  salt  mixture  will  do  it.  It  may  be  strewed  in  the 
stock-yard  six  or  eight  inches  thick,  and  sprinkled  pretty 
thickly  with  the  mixture.  The  treading  of  the  stock  will 
mix  it.  Let  the  whole  be  turned  over  in  a  moist  state 
once  or  twice,  and  in  the  course  of  the  winter  it  will  be- 
come a  valuable  application  to  the  plants  that  do  well  with 
fresh  manure.  There  are  abundant  elements  of  fertility  in 
tan,  but  it  is  more  difficult  to  render  them  available  than 
with  any  other  vegetable  substance ;  and  it  is,  upon  the 
3 


50  GAEDEIHNG  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

whole,  quite  a  dangerous  article  to  experiment  with.  Re- 
duced thoroughly  by  composting  it  with  stable  manure, 
using  in  this  case  no  lime,  and  then  mixed  with  decayed 
leaves  and  plenty  of  sharp  sand,  it  makes  a  tolerable  com- 
post for  growing  those  plants  which  require  peat,  such  as 
Azaleas  and  Rhododendrons.  Tan,  properly  composted, 
will  prove  of  most  use  in  light  soils  deficient  in  vegetable 
matter,  and  when  less  decompo«ed,for  opening  the  texture 
of  close,  heavy  clays. 

Decayed  chips,  saw-dust,  shavings,  etc.,  are  best  applied 
to  Irish  potatoes,  as  directed  in  the  case  of  tan-bark. 
They  should  be  covered  with  soil  to  promote  a  more 
speedy  decay.  They  have  much  the  nature  of  tan- 
bark  without  its  acidity,  and  may  be  likewise,  when  some- 
what decayed,  composted  with  stable  manure  and  used  as 
peat.  All  these  substances  are  valuable  for  burning  clay 
or  for  charring,  and  then  to  be  incorporated  with  urine, 
night  soil,  or  superphosphate  of  lime.  In  the  case  of  tan- 
bark,  this  is  undoubtedly  the  safest  and  most  profitable 
way  to  use  it. 

Green  Manures  are  various  crops,  raised  to  turn  into 
the  ground  in  a  fresh  state  for  fertilizing  it.  For  this  pur- 
pose all  the  weeds  of  the  garden  should  be  employed  while 
green,  unless  they  are  thrown  to  the  pigs.  Over  any 
vacant  spots  in  the  garden  not  wished  to  be  used  in  au- 
tumn, rye  or  barley  can  be  sown,  which  will  keep  the  soil 
from  washing,  and  when  large  enough  may  be  either  cut 
for  feed,  or  turned  into  the  soil  as  the  plots  are  wanted  for 
use.  Spinach  should  be  sown  in  considerable  quantities, 
as  it  grows  all  winter,  and,  spaded  into  the  soil  in  spring, 
adds  a  good  deal  to  its  fertility.  The  seed  can  be  saved 
in  any  quantity  with  little  trouble. 

But  the  most  fertilizing  plants  for  this  purpose  are 
leguminous  plants,  like  the  Cow-pea,  as  they  draw  nourish- 
ment largely  from  the  atmosphere,  and  afford  a  great 
amount  of  foliage  for  turning  under  as  manure.  This  class 


MANURES. — THEIR   SOURCES   AND   PREPARATION.         51 

of  plants  is  also  quite  rich  in  ammonia.  This  mode  of 
manuring  was  practised  by  the  ancient  Romans,  and  is 
specially  adapted  to  warm  climates  where  vegetation  is 
rapid  and  luxuriant.  A  good  vetch  that  would  make  its 
growth  in  the  winter  months  to  be  turned  into  the  soil  in 
the  spring  would  be  a  most  desirable  addition  to  our  cul- 
tivated plants.  The  spotted  Lucerne,  (Californian  clover), 
is  the  best  plant  for  this  purpose  on  soils  already  pretty 
good. 

Animal  Manures, — This  is  the  most  important  class, 
and  the  greatest  attention  should  be  paid  to  collecting, 
preserving,  and  economizing  them.  All  animal  manures, 
when  compared  with  the  preceding  class,  are  more  rich  in 
nitrogen,  and  more  easily  decomposed  and  rendered 
soluble ;  but  though  the  effect  of  this  class  of  substances  is 
much  more  obvious,  it  is  not  so  lasting. 

Its  value  consists  in  part  of  certain  volatile  and  soluble 
substances,  which,  in  the  common  mode  of  preserving  ma- 
nure, are  dissipated  in  the  air  or  washed  away  by  heavy 
rains.  In  this  climate  it  is  necessary  to  shelter  manure  from 
the  sun  and  rain.  All  animal  matter  is  either  directly  or 
indirectly  derived  from  vegetable  substances ;  hence,  every 
portion  of  the  same  that  can  be  rendered  soluble  is  a 
valuable  food  for  plants.  Among  the  most  important  ani- 
mal substances  employed  as  manures  are  urine,  and  dung 
of  all  kinds.  The  first  of  these  is  almost  invariably  wast- 
ed, though  in  the  case  of  the  cow,  it  is  of  more  value  than 
the  solid  excrements.  It  should  be  carefully  saved  by 
bedding  the  yard  and  stables  with  swamp  muck,  wood 
earth,  or  some  other  absorbent.  Urine  is  particularly  rich 
in  ammonia.  This  may  be  absorbed  by  the  muck  or  by 
sprinkling  the  floor  of  stables  and  the  manure  heap  fre- 
quently with  fine  charcoal  or  gypsum;  this  substance, 
sprinkled  upon  the  floors  of  stables,  forms  a  compound 
like  the  urate  of  commerce,  so  powerful  that  500  pounds 
will  amply  manure  an  acre.  If  you  can  obtain  no  other 


52  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

absorbent,  tan-bark  is  not  without  its  value,  but  the  weeds, 
sweepings  of  walks,  and  other  refuse  of  the  garden,  particu- 
larly leaf-mould  and  the  dark  top-soil  of  pastures,  are  to 
be  preferred.  Urine  may  be  diluted  with  three  times  its 
bulk  of  water  and  permitted  to  grow  stale,  and  be  applied 
at  night  or  in  moist  weather  directly  to  the  growing  crops. 

The  principal  animal  manures  are  those  of  the  horse, 
the  hog,  the  cow,  and  the  sheep.  Of  these  horse  manure 
is  most  valuable  in  its  fresh  state.  That  of  the  hog  comes 
next,  then  that ,  of  the  ox,  while  the  cow  is  at  the  bottom 
of  the  list,  because  most  of  the  enriching  substances  in 
her  food  go  to  the  formation  of  milk,  leaving  the  manure 
comparatively  weakened.  The  richer  the  food  given  to 
animals,  the  more  powerful  is  the  manure.  If  animal  ma- 
nures are  employed  in  a  fresh  state,  they  should  be  mixed 
intimately  with  the  soil,  and  given  to  such  coarse  feeding 
crops  as  corn  and  the  garden  pea.  But  nearly  all  plants 
do  better  if  the  manure  is  composted  and  fully  fermented 
before  use.  Pig  manure,  used  alone,  is  considered  per- 
nicious to  the  growth  of  the  cabbage  and  turnip  tribe,  and 
gives  an  unpleasant  taste  to  many  other  vegetables,  but 
composted  with  muck  or  mould,  it  is  much  more  beneficial 
as  well  as  more  durable. 

In  managing  animal  manures,  decomposition  must  be 
promoted — the  volatile  parts  must  be  preserved  from  dis- 
sipation in  the  air,  and  the  soluble  portions  from  being 
washed  out  by  rains.  That  it  may  ferment,  it  must  be 
nept  in  a  body,  that  heat  may  be  generated  and  its  natural 
moisture  retained,  while  beneath  it  a  layer  of  some  ab- 
sorbent substance  should  be  placed,  to  receive  and  retain 
its  soluble  parts,  and  as  fast  as  it  is  thrown  from  the  sta- 
bles, it  should  be  covered  with  layers  of  muck  to  retain 
the  ammonia.  Horse  manure,  especially,  should  not  be 
exposed  at  all ;  it  begins  to  heat  and  lose  ammonia  almost 
immediately,  as  may  be  perceived  by  the  smell.  Mix  it 
with  other  manures  and  cover  it  with  absorbents  as  soon 


MANURES. THEIR   SOURCES   AND   PREPARATION.         53 

as  possible.     Keep  the  stable  bedded  with  muck,  and  over 
this  a  good  bed  of  leaves. 

The  Manure  Of  Birds  is  richer  than  that  of  any  other 
animals ;  as  the  solid  and  liquid  excrements  are  mixed  to- 
gether, it  is  particularly  rich  in  nitrogen  and  the  phos- 
phates. Three  or  four  hundred  weight  of  the  manure  of 
pigeons,  fowls,  turkeys,  etc.,  is  of  equal  value  with  from 
fourteen  to  eighteen  loads  of  animal  manure. 

Peruvian  Guano  is  a  manure  of  this  class.  It  is  the 
manure  of  sea-birds,  which  has  accumulated  in  tropical 
latitudes  where  it  seldom  or  never  rains.  These  birds  feed 
upon  fish  entirely ;  hence,  the  manure  is  remarkably  rich 
in  nitrogen.  Guano  is  this  substance  "with  the  water  evap- 
orated, and  contains  from  7  to  18  per  cent  of  ammonia. 
When  it  can  be  bought  pure  and  the  freight  is  not  over  25 
per  cent  on  its  cost,  it  is  for  many  crops  one  of  the  cheap- 
est manures  to  be  obtained,  as  it  is  so  easily  applied — the 
labor  of  applying  other  manures  often  approaching  the 
price  of  guano.  It  is  well  to  apply  about  two  hundred 
weight  per  acre  with  one-half  the  usual  quantity  of  other 
manure.  Guano  should  ne vermin  a  fresh  state,  come  in 
contact  with  seeds  or  the  roots  of  plants,  as  it  is  sure  to 
destroy  their  vitality. 

The  great  value  of  guano  is  in  forming  liquid  manure 
one  pound  of  guano  to  five  gallons  of  water  applied  once 
a  week  will  add  wonderfully  to  the  growth  of  any  plants 
wntered  with  this  mixture.  For  very  delicate  plants 
twice  the  above  quantity  of  water  should  be  given.  If 
guano  is  not  to  be  had,  the  manure  of  fowls  is  a  good  sub- 
stitute. This  liquid  is  especially  valuable  in  the  flower- 
garden.  It  must  be  poured  upon  the  roots,  and  not  upon 
the  leaves  or  collars  of  the  plants.  On  lawns,  a  pound 
sprinkled  upon  each  square  rod  will  restore  their  verdure. 
A  great  advantage  of  supplying  guano,  is  that  no  seeds 
of  weeds  are  scattered  in  the  soil 


54  GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

The  Peruvian  is  the  only  guano  rich  in  ammonia. 
There  are  other  guanos  which  contain  little  ammonia,  but 
are  ridh  in  phosphates,  some  of  them  as  much  so  as  bone 
phosphate  of  lime.  Among  the  best  of  these  are  the  Co- 
lumbian and  Sombrero  varieties.  If  these  are  finely 
ground  and  mixed  in  equal  proportions  with  pulverized 
Peruvian  guano,  the  mixture  is  really  more  valuable  as  a 
manure  for  most  plants  and  soils  than  the  same  amount  of 
pure  Peruvian,  for  ammonia,  to  be  useful,  requires  the 
phosphates  to  be  present,  and  the  cost  is  much  legs.  The 
mixture  contains  a  sufficient  proportion  of  ammonia  for 
its  phosphates,  and  its  effect  is  more  lasting.  If  the  phos- 
phatic  guano  is  by  the  addition  of  sulphuric  acid  convert- 
ed into  a  superphosphate,  its  value  is  greatly  increased. 
This  mixture  is  better  than  the  Peruvian  guano  for  main- 
taining the  beauty  of  lawns,  and  for  the  whole  cabbage 
tribe  it  is  greatly  superior. 

Bones  are,  when  properly  prepared,  still  more  useful 
than  most  of  the  phosphatic  guanos.  They  contain  sixty- 
six  parts  of  earthy  matter,  mostly  phosphate  of  lime, 
and  thirty-four  parts  of  gelatine.  Gelatine  is  rich  in  ni- 
trogen, so  that  in  bones  are  united  the  most  desirable  or- 
ganic and  inorganic  manures.  Applied  whole,  bones  de- 
compose too  slowly  to  be  of  much  value,  and  would  be 
greatly  in  the  way  of  tillage.  They  may  be  broken  small 
with  a  sledge-hammer  or  crowbar,  in  a  large  wooden  mor- 
tar, lined  at  the  bottom  with  a  thick  iron  plate.  When 
beaten  small,  the  fine  dust  can  be  sifted  out,  and  the  re- 
mainder moistened  and  thrown  up  in  heaps,  to  ferment  a 
few  months.  Bones  can  be  dissolved  by  boiling  them  in 
strong  lye,  or,  better,  by  mixing  them  with  wet,  unleached 
ashes,  and  when  dissolved  and  dried  by  mixing  with  woods 
earth,  burnt  clay,  ashes,  or  sand,  can  be  applied  broadcast 
or  in  the  drills.  The  best  way  to  treat  bones  is  to  dis- 
solve them  in  sulphuric  acid,  forming  superphosphate  of 
lime.  A  carboy  of  sulphuric  acid,  costing  about  four 


MANURES.— THEIR   SOURCES    AND   PREPARATION-.        55 

dollars,  at  wholesale,  in  the  cities,  and  containing  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  pounds,  will  dissolve  three  hundred  to  four 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of  bones.  The  bones  should 
be  previously  ground  or  finely  broken.  Put  about  sixty 
pounds  of  bone-dust  or  phosphatic  guano  in  a  tub,  and  add 
water  enough  to  wet  the  mass,  say  about  40  Ibs.  See  that 
it  is  well  moistened.  Add  20  Ibs.  of  sulphuric  acid,  which 
is  usually  enough,  and  briskly  stir  the  mass.  If,  after 
standing  a  day  or  two  the  bones  are  not  sufficiently  dis- 
solved, add  more  acid  and  water,  pouring  it  on  gradually, 
and  after  a  little  the  bones  will  entirely  dissolve  and  form 
a  pasty  mass  with  the  acid  and  water.  When  the  mass  is 
dried,  it  will  assume  the  appearance  of  a  granulated  pow- 
der, and  it  is  then  fit  for  use.  It  may  also  be  used  diluted 
with  thirty  times  its  bulk  of  water  as  a  liquid  manure, 
but  it  is  more  convenient  to  mix  it  with  saw-dust,  woods 
earth,  or  fine  charcoal,  and  apply  it  dry.  Never  mix  a 
superphosphate  with  lime,  ashes,  or  any  alkali,  for  by  so 
doing  it  is  converted  again  into  a  phosphate,  and  your 
labor  and  sulphuric  acid  are  lost.  One  cwt.  of  bones  with, 
say  half  the  amount  of  sulphuric  acid,  will  be  enough  for 
an  acre. 

The  acid  has  converted  the  bones  into  a  superphosphate 
of  lime,  which  is  very  soluble,  and  is  readily  taken  up  by 
the  plant.  This  is  the  most  valuable  of  all  manures  for 
the  turnip,  and  the  quantity  needed  for  the  acre  is  so  lit- 
tle that  the  expense  is  less  than  that  of  almost  any  other 
application. 

The  addition  of  guano  renders  it  still  more  valuable. 
It  may  be  used  three  days  after  its  preparation,  but  im- 
proves if  kept  longer.  Fifteen  bushels  of  compost  may 
be  prepared  from  If  bushels  of  bones  and  the  absorbents 
required  ;  and  two  bushels  of  this  applied  to  an  acre  will,  for 
the  present,  equal  in  effect  16  bushels  of  half-inch  bones. 
(Lindley.)  If  bones  are  coarsely  broken  and  mixed  with 
hot  stable  dung  in  the  formation  of  a  hot-bed,  they  will 


56  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

generally  be  found  perfectly  fine  when  the  material  of  the 
bed  is  removed.  They  can  also,  at  any  time,  be  further 
broken  up  by  composting  with  hot  stable  manure,  cover- 
ing the  mass  with  absorbents  to  retain  the  ammonia  of 
the  gelatine  and  manure. 

Night  Soil  and  chamber  slops  should  be  composted  as 
before  directed  with  charcoal,  or  the  black  mould  from 
woods.  Gypsum  may  be  added  to  the  mixture ;  all  smell 
is  thus  destroyed,  and  an  offensive  nuisance  is  converted 
into  a  valuable  application  to  any  crop.  Where  charcoal 
is  freely  used,  this  substance  becomes  perfectly  inodorous. 
Guano  and  poudrette  are  the  best  possible  manures  for 
the  cabbage  tribe  and  other  plants  that  need  phosphates 
and  nitrogen.  Both  these  manures  are  exceedingly  pow- 
erful, but  their  effects  do  not  last  beyond  one  season.  The 
fertilizing  properties  exist  in  the  right  proportions  to  be 
taken  up  at  once  by  the  plants,  and  nearly  all  their  nutri- 
tive properties  are  exhausted  the  season  they  are  applied. 
If  in  a  hole  or  dry  ditch  are  deposited  all  the  leaves  or 
vegetable  refuse  that  can  be  collected,  and  over  this  is 
poured  daily  the  house  slops,  and  all  smell  prevented  by 
the  timely  application  of  charcoal  or  woods  earth,  a  com- 
post is  formed  exactly  similar  in  its  constituents  to  farm- 
yard manure,  and  containing  all  the  eight  substances  by 
which  plants  are  artificially  fed.  (Lindley.) 

Liquid  Manure. — Almost  any  manure  may  be  applied 
to  the  soil  with  benefit  in  a  liquid  state.  It  generally  im- 
plies urine  or  the  drainings  of  dung  heaps  and  stables, 
chiefly  consisting  of  urine  and  the  dissolved  excrements 
of  animals.  Diluted  more  or  less  as  required,  it  can  be 
applied  about  once  a  week  to  plants  in  any  stage  of 
growth,  and  is  particularly  useful  to  those  grown  in  pots. 
The  soil  should  not  be  oversaturated  with  it,  and  it  should 
be  used  alternately  with  pure  water.  DC  not  give  it  to 
plants  in  a  state  of  rest. 


MANURES. THEIR    SOURCES    AND    PREPARATION.         57 

There  are  several  other  substances  which,  when  they 
can  be  obtained,  should  be  carefully  applied.  Among 
these,  the  most  available  are  the  offal  of  slaughtered  ani- 
mals, their  carcasses,  hair,  and  bristles,  leather,  refuse  from 
the  tanners  and  shoemakers,  woollen  rags,  fish,  blood,  etc. 
All  these  contain  the  elements  required  by  growing  plants 
in  a  very  concentrated  state.  The  hair,  bristles,  etc.,  may 
be  applied  directly  to  any  crop.  These  matters  are  very 
powerful,  and  a  small  quantity  will  suffice.  Slaughter- 
house offal,  and  the  carcasses  of  any  animals  that  may 
have  died,  should  be  buried  deeply  in  a  pit,  with  absorb- 
ents beneath,  and  covered  with  muck  or  loam.  In  a  year 
it  will  become  a  most  valuable  manure. 

The  following  table  from  Boussingault  gives  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  proportion  of  nitrogen  contained  in 
the  most  common  manures,  and  of  their  quality  and  equiv- 
alents, referred  to  farm-yard  dung  as  the  standard.  Thus 
ten  Ibs.  of  fresh  cotton-seed  cake  is  equal  in  value  to  one 
hundred  Ibs.  of  fresh  or  wet  farm-yard  dung,  as  far  as  the 
nitrogen  in  each  is  concerned.  To  form  a  perfect  table 
of  equivalents,  the  phosphates,  potash,  etc.,  must  be  also 
taken  into  consideration.  The  ammonia  merely  indexes 
the  value.  As  a  manure  it  is  worth  in  the  markets  of  the 
world  about  14  cents  a  pound,  according  to  Prof.  S.  W. 
Johnson.  Insoluble  phosphoric  acid  is  valued  by  him  at 
4^  cts.,  and  soluble  phosphoric  acid  about  10^  cents  per 
pound  for  application  to  ordinary  crops.  Potash  is  not 
generally  so  deficient  in  soils  as  to  be.  worth  its  market 
price  to  be  used  as  a  manure,  unless  in  the  form  of  wood 
ashes.  Phosphoric  acid  in  a  soluble  state  is  the  only  sub- 
stance that  approaches  ammonia  in  money  value  for  use  as 
a  manure. 


3* 


58 


GARDENING   FOE   THE    SOUTH. 


^§ 

|| 

79  3 

Azote  in 
100. 

Quality 
according 
to  state. 

Equivalent 
according 
to  state. 

Dry 

Wet. 

Dry 

Wet. 

Dry. 

Wet. 

Farm-yard  dun^ 

1  95 

0.41 
0.79 
0.06 
0.85 
1.18 
0.32 
0.54 
4.02 
0.32 
0.44 
0.41 
0.55 
2.61 
2.74 
0.63 
1.11 
3.85 
8.30 
5.00 
5.40 
3  95 

100 
107 
78 
150 
80 
20 
36 
231 
117 
194 
132 
113 
641 
154 
172 
153 
225 
462 
323 
361 
807 
730 
795 

903 

775 
1039 
809 
67 
53 

100 
107 
2 
212.5 
293 
80 
135 
1000 
80 
110 
102.5 
137.5 
652.5 
185 
157.5 
277.5 
962 
2075 
1247 
1349 
3487 
3260 
3045 
1326 
3835 
3445 
4495 
3590 
287.5 

100 
94 
127 
66 
125 
488 
256 
32 
84 
51 
75 
88 

151/2 

66 
58 
65 
44 
21  H 

311/2 

28 
1214 
18»4 

12!/i 

11 
13 

9y2 

12% 
149 
189 

100 
51 
68 
47 
34 
125 
74 
10 
125 
91 
98 
73 

W 

63 
36 

10% 
5 
80 
74 
281/2 
3 

% 

t* 
J* 

35 
33 

Dung  from  an  Inn  yard  

60.6 
99.6 
70.9 
25.0 
17.9 
26.0 
11.0 
85  9 

2.08 
1.54 
2.94 
1.57 
0.40 
0.72 
4.52 
2.30 
3.80 
2.59 
2.21 
12.50 
3.02 
3.37 
2.99 
4.40 
9.02 
6.20 
7.05 
15.73 

Dung  water 

Withered  leaves  of  carrots 

do.       do.    do.  oak  

Oyster  shells  

Oak  saw-dust  .                 ... 

Oil  cake  of  cotton  seed 

Solid  cow  dung  

Urine  of  cows     

88.3 
84.3 

75  3 

Mixed  cow  dung            . 

Solid  horse  clung  

Horse  urine  

79.1 
75.4 
81.4 
63.0 
12.5 
9.6 
19.6 
23.4 
11  3 

Mixed  (horse  dun^) 

Pin-  dung 

Sheep  dung  

Poudrette  of  Belloni 

Pigeon's  dung  

Guano  from  England  

[dem  

do.  imported  from  France  

Dried  muscular  flesh 

8.5 
81.0 
30.0 
12.9 
8.9 
11.3 
9.0 
5.6 

14.25 

17.61 
15.12 
20.26 
15.78 
1.31 
1.03 

13.04 
2.95 
5.31 
15.34 
13.78 
17.98 
14.36 
1.15 

Liquid  bl'ood  

^resli  'bones  

Feathers. 

Cow  hair  flock  

Voollen  rao'S. 

Horn  shavings 

Wood  soot  

Vegetable  mould  

Composts* — The  composting  of  manure  should  take 
place,  as  a  general  thing,  as  fast  as  it  is  made.  In  the  gar- 
den, out  of  sight,  there  should  be  a  compost  heap  for  re- 
ceiving all  kinds  of  rubbish  that  can  have  the  least  value 
as  fertilizers.  Make  a  shallow  excavation  of  a  square  or 
oblong  form,  with  the  bottom  sloping  to  one  end.  Into 
this  collect  the  litter  and  sweepings  of  the  yards,  decayed 
vegetables  of  all  kinds,  brine,  soapsuds,  and  slops  from 
the  house,  woollen  rags,  leaves,  green  weeds,  and  garden 
refuse.  After  it  has  accumulated  a  little,  turn  it  over,  ad- 
ding a  little  of  the  salt  and  lime  mixture,  and  keep  the 
whole  inodorous,  by  covering  it  with  rich  mould  or  black 
earth  from  the  woods.  If  the  heap  is  formed  entirely  of 
vegetable  materials,  ashes  or  lime  should  be  added ;  but 
if  it  contain  animal  matter,  they  would  do  harm  by  set- 
ting free  the  ammonia.  The  heap  should  not  be  deep, 


MANURES. THEIR    SOURCES    AND   PREPARATION. 


50 


but,  like  all  other  manure  heaps,  should  be  kept  "  always 
moist,  but  never  leached,"  by  the  addition  of  liquids  from 
the  house  and  kitchen.  If  this  compost  be  for  a  sandy 
soil,  the  addition  of  clay  would  be  veiy  beneficial. 

Composting  is  the  best  way  of  rendering  available  all 
sorts  of  refuse  organic  matter,  but  do  not  introduce  those 
antagonistic  in  their  effects.  For  instance,  never  compost 
lime  with  animal  matters  which,  in  their  decomposition, 
form  ammonia. 

Special  Composts  are  prepared  for  different  species  of 
plants,  and  they  are  of  great  utility  in  floriculture.  Com- 
posts for  plants  in  pots  are  made  up  of  loam,  leaf-mould, 
sand,  peat,  and  manure.  The  loam  is  the  decomposed 
turf  from  a  rich,  old  pasture,  which  should  not  rest  upon 
clay,  and  the  upper  three  inches  only  are  taken.  It 
should  lie  one  year  before  using.  Leaf-mould  is  the  dark 
surface  soil  of  the  woods,  formed  from  decayed  leaves. 
Sand  should  not  be  from  roads,  but  fine  surface  or  river 
sand.  The  manure  is  unfit  to  use  if  less  than  a  year  old, 
and  improves  by  frequent  turning,  and  lying  two  years. 
Peat  is  the  black  soil  from  swamps,  mingled  with  very  fine 
sand.  It  should  be  exposed  a  year  and  frequently  turned 
before  using.  Black  woods  earth,  mingled  with  one-third 
pure  sand,  is  the  best  substitute.  The  proportions  of  the 
most  common  composts  are  given  in  the  following  table : 


Number  of 
Compost. 

Loam. 

Leaf- 
mould. 

Sand. 

Peat. 

]jf(l1\fMfT&, 

1 

1 

3 

2 

3 

2 

1 

i 

3 

a 

1 

1 

i 

4 

i 

2 

5 

4 

4 

1 

6 

4 

1 

i 

7 

3 

2 

1 

8 

4 

2 

1 

9 

1 

1 

1 

10 

1 

1 

1 

1 

60  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

CHAPTER      VI. 

ROTATION  OF  CROPS. 

The  same  crops  cannot  be  grown  from  year  to  year 
upon  the  same  soil  without  decreasing  in  productiveness. 
All  plants  more  or  less  exhaust  the  soil,  but  not  in  the 
same  degree,  nor  in  the  same  manner ;  hence,  as  different 
plants  appropriate  different  substances,  the  rotation  of 
crops  has  considerable  influence  in  retaining  the  fertility 
of  a  soil.  If  the  same  kind  of  plants  is  continued  upon 
the  same  soil,  only  a  portion  of  the  constituents  of  the  ma- 
nure applied  is  used ;  while  by  a  judicious  rotation  every- 
thing, in  the  soil  or  in  the  manure,  suitable  for  vegetable 
food,  is  taken  up  and  appropriated  by  the  crop.  How- 
ever plentiful  manure  may  be,  a  succession  of  exhausting 
crops  should  not  be  grown  upon  the  same  bed,  not  only 
because  abundance  is  no  excuse  for  want  of  economy,  but 
because  manure  freshly  applied  is  not  so  immediately  bene- 
ficial as  those  remains  of  organized  matter  which  by  long 
continuance  in  the  soil  have  become  impalpably  divided 
and  diffused  through  its  texture,  and  of  which  each  suc- 
ceeding crop  consumes  a  portion. 

Some  crops  are  so  favorable  to  weeds,  that  if  continued 
long  upon  the  same  bed,  the  labor  of  cultivating  them  is 
much  increased,  while  if  raised  but  once  in  a  place  and 
followed  by  a  cleaning  crop,  the  weeds  are  easily  kept  un- 
der. Besides,  many  crops  planted  continually  in  the  same 
soil  are  more  liable  to  be  attacked  by  the  insects  and 
parasites  which  are  the  peculiar  enemies  of  those  plants. 

Many  insects  injurious  to  plants  deposit  their  eggs  in 
the  soil  which  produced  the  plants  they  have  infested, 
ready  to  commit  their  depredations  upon  the  succeeding 
crop ;  but  if  this  is  changed  to  a  distant  locality,  they 
often  perish  for  want  of  their  proper  food.  So,  many 


EOTATIOX    OF    CROPS.  61 

parasites -leave  their  seeds  or  spores  in  the  soil,  to  the  in- 
creased injury  of  the  succeeding  crop,  if  of  the  same 
species. 

Again,  different  plants  derive  their  principal  nourish- 
ment from  different  depths  of  soil.  The  roots  of  plants 
exhaust  only  the  portions  of  soil  with  which  they  come 
in  contact.  Perpendicular  rooted  plants  throw  out  few 
side  roots,  and  derive  most  of  their  nourishment  from  a 
considerable  depth,  while  fibrous-rooted  plants  seek  their 
food  near  the  surface.  Plants  of  the  same  species  extend 
their  roots  in  a  similar  direction,  and  occupy  and  exhaust 
the  same  strata  of  earth. 

Different  plants  by  means  of  their  roots  act  differently 
upon  the  physical  nature  of  the  soil.  Surface  roots 
spread  abroad  their  tufted  fibers,  which  in  their  decay 
break  up  and  lighten  the  surface  soil,  while  the  roots  of 
clover  have  a  somewhat  similar  effect  upon  the  deeper 
strata. 

The  most  exhausting  crops  are,  in  general,  those  which 
are  allowed  to  perfect  their  seeds,  as  they  extract  from 
the  soil  all  the  essentials  of  the  plant,  from  the  root  to  the 
seed.  The  seeds  of  many  species  draw  from  the  soil  more 
largely  its  ammonia,  phosphates,  etc.,  than  the  total 
amount  extracted  in  the  formation  of  all  other  parts  of  the 
plant.  Root  crops  are  generally  less  exhausting,  and 
plants  cultivated  for  their  leaves  are  usually  still  less  so. 

A  rotation  was  formerly  thought  necessary  from  an 
idea  that  each  plant  throws  off  from  its  roots  into  the  soil 
certain  matters  which  are  injurious  to  others  of  the  same 
species  afterward  grown  upon  the  soil.  It  was  also  thought 
that  there  were  some  tribes  of  plants,  the  fig  for  instance, 
of  which  the  acrid  juices  from  the  root  injured  the  soil 
and  the  plants  grown  near  them,  while  of  others,  as  le- 
gumes, the  sweet  juices  were  beneficial  to  the  soil  and  the 
adjacent  or  succeeding  crops.  These  views  are  not  now 
considered  tenable, 


62  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

Enough  has  been  stated  to  show  the  necessity  of  a 
change  of  crops,  and  the  following  are  found  the  best 
rules  to  observe  in  practice : 

1st. — Crops  of  the  same  species,  and  even  of  the  same 
natural  order,  should  not  succeed  each  other. 

2d. — Plants  with  perpendicular  roots  should  succeed 
those  with  spreading  and  superficial  roots,  and  vice  versa. 

3d. — Crops  which  occupy  the  soil  for  several  years,  like 
asparagus,  rhubarb,  etc.,  should  be  followed  by  those  of 
short  duration. 

4th. — Two  crops  alike  favorable  to  the  growth  of  weeds 
should  not  occupy  the  soil  in  succession. 

5th. — Crops  abstracting  largely  from  the  soil  the  sul- 
phates, phosphates,  and  nitrogenous  principles,  should  not 
follow  each  other  immediately,  but  be  succeeded  by  those 
which  draw  less  from  the  soil  and  more  from  the  atmos- 
phere. These  exhausting  crops, should  follow  and  be  fol- 
lowed by  those  which  bear  and  will  profit  by  heavy  ma- 
nuring. 

6th. — Plants  grown  for  their  roots  or  bulbs  should  not 
follow  those  grown  for  the  same  purpose,  and  still  less 
should  plants  grown  for  their  seeds  follow  each  other  di- 
rectly in  succession. 

The  following  are  found  in  practice  to  be  convenient 
crops  to  succeed  each  other  in  rotation,  beginning  after  an 
application  of  manure,  viz. :  Onions,  lettuce,  cabbage,  car 
rots,  manure ;  or,  turnips,  celery,  peas,  potatoes,  manure. 

The  following  is  also  a  very  good  rotation : 

1.  The  cabbage  tribe  to  be  followed  by 

2.  Alliaceous  plants,  as  onions,  leeks,  etc.,  to  be  follow- 
ed by  legumes,  as  beans  or  peas.     Peas  may  be  followed 
the  same  year  with  celery. 

3.  Tap-rooted  plants,  as  carrots,  beets,  parsnips. 

4.  Surface  roots,  as  onions,  potatoes,  turnips. 

5.  Celery,  endive,  lettuce,  spinach,  etc. 

Celery  is  excellent  to  precede  asparagus,  onions,  cauli- 


ROTATION    OF   CROPS.  G3 

flowers,  c  r  turnips ;  old  asparagus  beds  for  carrots,  pota- 
toes, etc. ;  strawberries  and  raspberries  for  the  cabbage 
tribe  ;  cabbage  for  the  tap-rooted  plants ;  potatoes  for  the 
cabbage  tribe. 

In  these  rotations  it  is  not  necessary  to  apply  manure 
to  every  crop.  For  the  bulbous  roots,  as  the  onion,  and  for 
plants  cultivated  for  their  leaves,  as  spinach  and  asparagus, 
the  ground  can  scarcely  be  too  rich ;  and  the  bulk  of  the 
manures  may  be  applied  to  them  and  the  cabbage  and  tur- 
nip crops,  while  for  plants  raised  for  seed  it  is  best  that 
the  foliage  should  not  be  stimulated  into  too  great  luxu- 
riance by  fresh  manuring. 

In  practice  these  rules  should  as  far  as  possible  be  fol- 
lowed, but  it  is  often  necessary  to  vary  from  them  or  let 
a  part  of  the  soil  lie,  for  a  time,  idle.  Rotations  in  gar- 
dening become  less  necessary  if  the  ground  is  trenched 
deeply  and  manured  highly.  Vacant  ground  thus  treated 
may  be  filled  at  once  with  any  crop  ready  for  planting. 

To  get  the  highest  possible  results  from  a  garden,  there 
must  be  not  only  a  general  rotation  of  crops  year  by  year, 
but  a  number  of  sub-successions  each  year,  as  fast  as  the 
crops  are  removed.  One-fourth  of  an  acre  thoroughly 
manured  and  kept  perfectly  free  from  weeds,  upon 
which  a  constant  succession  of  crops  is  kept  up,  will 
yield  more  than  an  acre  managed  in  the  common  way. 
It  is  not,  however,  always  necessary  to  wait  until  the  crop 
occupying  the  soil  is  removed  before  another  is  put  in. 
Simultaneous  cropping,  that  is,  making  two  crops  occupy 
the  ground  at  the  same  time,  as  in  field  culture  the  cow- 
pea  in  corn-fields,  can  often  be  resorted  to  in  the  kitchen 
garden.  In  the  fruit  garden,  De  Candolle  says  the  vine 
and  the  peach  can  with  advantage  be  grown  together,  the 
light  shade  of  the  peach  not  injuring  the  vines. 

Directions  to  meet  all  circumstances  cannot  be  given, 
still  the  following  hints  may  be  suggestive  of  the  best 


64  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

methods  to  secure  in  the  kitchen  garden  satisfactory  re- 
sults. 

For  instance,  in  the  fall  a  portion  of  the  garden  may  be 
occupied  with  spinach ;  this  should  be  heavily  manured, 
and  may  keep  the  ground  until  time  to  plant  melons  and 
other  vines,  when  just  enough  of  the  ground  may  be 
deeply  dug  to  form  the  melon  hills,  and  the  crop  will  be 
ready  to  remove  before  the  melons  begin  to  run.  The 
melon  crop  may  be  followed  by  one  of  turnips.  All  such 
plants  as  radish,  lettuce,  and  other  small  salads,  need  take 
up  no  room ;  they  can,  any  of  them,  be  raised  between 
the  potato  beds  or  drills,  or  between  melon  hills,  rows  of 
corn,  etc.,  and  they  will  come  to  perfection  before  the  potato 
or  other  crops  require  the  ground.  Radishes  can  be  raised 
between  the  rows  in  the  beds  of  all  kinds  of  plants  that 
are  slow  in  coming  up,  as  carrots,  parsnips,  etc.,  and  will 
be  ready  to  remove  by  the  time  the  others  come  up. 

Any  vacant  spot  that  occurs  early  in  summer  should  be 
occupied  with  plantings  of  extra  early  or  sweet  corn,  po- 
tatoes, beets,  kidney  beans,  for  preserving  for  winter  use, 
and  cucumbers  for  pickling.  Those  coming  later  in  the 
season  may  be  occupied  by  sweet  potatoes  until  July,  then 
corn,  cow-peas,  or  rutabaga  turnips.  Where  the  early 
onions  grow,  both  in  the  alleys  and  in  the  centre  of  the 
bed,  before  much  of  the  crop  is  removed,  may  be  planted 
with  late  cabbages  or  Siberian  kale.  Cabbages  will  head 
if  the  winter  sorts  be  planted  as  late  as  the  early  part  of 
August,  and  Early  Yorks  put  out  in  September,  if  in  rich, 
moist  ground,  and  well  cultivated.  Sweet  corn  may  be 
planted  until  Ajigust.  Still  later,  every  unoccupied  corner 
should  be  covered  with  turnips  and  winter  radishes,  which 
may  cover  nearly  the  whole  garden,  being  sown  in  drills 
between  the  rows  of  plants  not  yet  quite  ready  to  be  re- 
moved. After  the  frost  has  come,  any  vacant  spaces 
should  be  immediately  sown  with  spinach,  onions,  and 
other  crops  for  early  spring  use,  or  with  barley  or  rye  for 


ROTATION   OF   CROPS.  65 

the  cow.  The  secret  of  successful  cultivation,  says  Down- 
ing, is  an  abundant  supply  of  manure.  A  small  extent 
of  ground  well  manured  and  trenched  deeply,  by  these 
sub-successions,  will  produce  an  enormous  amount  of 
vegetables,  while  only  the  same  surface  needs  to  be  hoed, 
manured,  and  kept  free  from  weeds,  as  if  it  produced  but 
one  crop.  To  be  sure,  more  manure  and  more  labor  are 
needed,  but  nothing  like  the  amount  which  would  be  re- 
quired to  produce  the  same  crops  without  these  sub-suc- 
cessions. Many  other  sub-successions  will  occur  to  a 
thoughtful  gardener,  but  to  derive  the  full  benefit  of  them 
the  grounds  should  be  trenched  at  least  thirty  inches  deep 
when  the  garden  is  formed. 

Profits  Of  Gardening, — The  results  of  the  above  mode 
of  procedure,  in  the  case  of  the  garden  of  the  Retreat 
for  the  Insane,  at  Utica,  New  York,  were  published  by 
Dr.  Brig-ham.  The  land  was  good  and  yearly  manured.  The 
product  was  as  follows  on  one  and  one-fourth  acres  of 
land: — 1100  heads  lettuce,  large;  1400  heads  cabbage, 
large;  700 bunches  radishes ;  250  bunches  asparagus;  300 
bunches  rhubarb ;  14  bushels  pods  marrowfat  peas ;  40 
bushels  beans ;  sweet  corn,  3  plantings,  419  dozen  ;  sum- 
mer squash,  715  dozen;  squash  peppers,  45  dozen ;  cucum- 
bers, 756  dozen  ;  cucumber  pickles,  7  barrels ;  beets,  147 
bushels ;  carrots,  29  bushels ;  parsnips,  26  bushels ;  onions, 
120  bushels;  turnips,  80  bushels;  early  potatoes,  35 
bushels ;  tomatoes,  40  bushels ;  winter  squash,  7  wagon 
loads ;  celery,  500  heads — all  worth  621  dollars  in  Utica 
market,  but  supplied  one  hundred  and  thirty  persons 
with  all  they  could  consume.  Only  one  man  was  required 
to  do  all  the  necessary  labor. 

The  supply  of  Northern  markets  with  early  fruits  and 
vegetables  is  becoming  yearly  more  and  more  profitable 
to  all  points  which  have  direct  steam  communication  with 
their  great  cities.  Charleston,  Savannah,  and  Norfolk,  now 
ship  very  largely  asparagus,  peas,  snap  beans,  cucumbers, 


66  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

Lima  beans,  squashes,  okra,  and  of  fruits  the  apple  and 
peach.  The  pear  and  the  Delaware  grape  will  be  still  more 
profitable  in  time.  Chicago,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  etc., 
will  soon  largely  receive  similar  supplies  by  railroad  from 
Southern  points. 

Forwarding  Early  Crops. — Early  crops  in  the  open  air 
should  be  planted  in  a  sheltered  situation,  on  a  dark-color- 
ed, silicious  soil.     It  may  be  brought  to  a  proper  state  by 
the  admixture  of  sand  and  charcoal.     Crops,  on  the  con- 
trary, may  be  retarded  by  planting  in  a  border  sheltered 
from  the  sun,  and  of  a  lighter  color  and  more  aluminous. 
There  are  many  plants  which  do  much  better  if  sown  in 
the  fall.     Rhubarb,  parsley,  etc.,  come  up  more  freely  if 
suffered  to  be  in  the  ground  all  winter.     Potatoes,  too, 
may  be  early  planted,  and  if  they  come  up,  should  be 
sheltered  by  a  covering  of  straw  or  litter,  added  from  time 
to  time  to  keep  them  from  frost. '  Cabbage,  cauliflower, 
broccoli,  etc.,  sown  in  autumn  and  transplanted,  may  be 
kept  out  all  winter  in  boxes  made  by  nailing  four  pieces 
of  boards  together,  eight  inches  wide.     Cut  the  pieces  12 
inches  long  at  the  bottom,  and  10  at  the  top ;    nail  them 
together  at  the  corners.     After  the  frosts  begin  to  be  se- 
vere, throw  in  a  handful  of  loose  straw,  which  will  pre- 
vent the  sudden   freezing  and  thawing  of   the  plants. 
Great  care  should  be  taken  to  produce  early  crops,  as  they 
are  less  liable  to  be  injured  by  insects  or  weeds,  and  very 
much  increase  the  satisfaction  of  gardening.     Early  plants 
may  be  obtained  by  sowing  them  in  a  box  set  in  a  warm 
window,  or  may  be  raised  in  autumn  and  protected  in 
winter  in  a  cold  frame  or  pit,  or  grown  any  time  during 
winter  in  a  hot-bed  for  those  more  delicate,  or  in  a  cold 
frame  under  glass  for  the  hardier  kinds.      Such  plants, 
when  set  out  in  the  spring,  need  to  be  gradually  hardened, 
and  then  require  shading  a  few  days  until  established. 
Radishes  sown  under  glass  without  heat  early  in  January 
are  generally  fit  for  use  early  in  March.     But  to  forward 


HOT-BEDS,    COLD-FRAMES,    AND    PITS. 


67 


plants  with  any  success  requires  suitable  structures  for 
the  purpose. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

HOT-BEDS,  COLD-FRAMES,  AND  PITS. 

Frames  or  Hot-Beds  are  most  usually  employed  for 
forwarding  plants.  The  frame  for  general  use  has  from 
three  to  five  sashes,  (see  fig.  8),  and  is  made  for  con- 
venience about  four  and  a  half  or  five  feet  wide,  and  the 


Fig.  3.— HOT-BED  AND  FRAME. 

length  depends  on  the  number  of  sashes,  which  are  usually 
about  forty  inches  wide.  Use  the  smallest  glass  you  can 
obtain,  certainly  not  over  seven  by  nine  ;  a  smaller  size  is 
preferable,  as  it  is  not  so  liable  to  be  broken,  and  can  be 
more  readily  repaired.  These  sashes  are  made  without 
cross-bars,  the  glass  overlapping  like  the  shingles  of  a 
house,  and  resting  on  bars  extending  lengthwise  of  the 
sash.  The  lap  of  each  pane  of  glass  need  not  be  over 
half  an  inch,  and  if  the  glass  is  set  in  the  sash  when 
freshly  painted  with  two  coats  of  paint,  no  puttying 


63  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

is  necessary,  if  the  sash  is  well  made.     The  frame  should 
be  made  of  incli   and  a  half  plank  as  high  again  in  the 
back  as  in  the  front,  to  give  the  sashes  the  proper  slope  to 
the  sun,  and  sufficient  inclination   to    carry  off  the  wet. 
The  front,  of  course,  is  towards  the  south.     Let  the  back 
and  front  be  nailed  to  corner  posts,  so  as  to  admit  the  ends 
to  fit  in  neatly,  which  ends  are  to  be  made  fast  to  the  posts 
by  common  carriage  bolts,  in  order  that  the  frame  may  be 
taken  asunder  to  store  when  not  in  use.     All  joints  in  the 
sides  and  ends  should  be  tongued  and  grooved  to  prevent 
the  admission  of  cold  air  or  the  loss  of  warm  air  from  the 
bed.     Each  end  should  be  made  an  inch  and  a  half  higher 
than   the  back   and  front,  and   grooved  out  one-half  its 
thickness,  to  permit  the  sash  to  slide  and  leave  the  other 
half  to  support  the  outside.     At  the  corner,  also,  of  each 
sash,  let  another  piece  of   scantling  be  placed,  and  on  the 
top  of  these,  narrow  strips  the  length  of  the  sash  are  to 
be  nailed,  for  the  sash  to  slide  upon.     Between  the  sashes, 
nail  an  inch  strip  a  little  thicker  than  the  sash  to  the  nar- 
row plank  on  which  they  slide,  and  put  on  the  sash ;    and 
upon  this  strip,  in  cold  weather,  lay  another  narrow  strip, 
projecting  over  the  sash  a  little,  to  cover  the  joint   and 
keep  out  the  cold.     Provide  for   the  bed  a  full  supply  of 
good   horse  manure  from  the   stable,  mixed  with   moist- 
litter,  preferring  that  which  is  fresh,  moist,  and  full  of  heat. 
If  there  is  not  sufficient  litter  in  the   mass  the  heat  will 
not  be  lasting ;    so  as  a  substitute  add  oak-leaves  or  tan- 
bark.     There  should  be  at  least  one-third  litter  in  the  heap. 
Shake   it   up  and  mix  it  well  together,  sprinkling  with 
water  if  dry,  and  throw  it  into  a  compact  heap  to  ferment. 
In  two  or  thrae  days  if  warm,  or  if  cold  in  a  week,  turn  it 
over,  and  if  dry  and  musty  in  any  part,  water  again.    Let 
it   be  two  or  three  days  longer,  and  then  work  it  over 
thoroughly,  as  before,  and  water  if  necessary.     In  a  dry, 
sheltered   situation  opening  to  the  south,  mark  out   the 
dimensions  of  the  bed,  making  it  fully  a  foot  longer  and 


HOT-BEDS,    COLD-FRAMES,    AND   PITS.  CO 

wider  than  the  frame  each  way.  Throw  out  the  earth 
about  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep.  Then  begin  to  form  the 
bed  by  spreading  a  thin  layer  of  the  prepared  manure 
upon  the  ground,  mixing  the  long  and  short  well  together. 
Upon  this  spread  other  layers  mixed  in  the  same  manner, 
beating  each  layer  with  the  back  of  the  fork,  but  not  too 
heavily,  to  keep  it  level,  and  equally  firm  throughout. 
Stakes  should  be  placed  at  the  corners  to  work  to.  The 
edges  should  be  kept  true  and  the  corners  firm,  to  do 
which  the  outside  of  each  layer  must  be  first  laid  down, 
and  to  make  the  manure  keep  in  place  a  proper  admixture 
of  long  litter  is  required.  Continue  until  the  bed  is  three 
feet  above  the  surface,  then  spread  the  fine  manure  that  is 
left,  evenly  over  the  top,  and  water  freely.  As  soon  as  fin- 
ished let  the  frame  and  glass  be  put  on  with  care,  and  keep 
them  close  until  the  heat  rises  and  a  steam  appears  upon 
the  glass.  As  soon  as  the  heat  rises,  give  air  at  noon  each 
day,  but  keep  closed  in  the  evening  and  at  night,  unless 
the  heat  is  very  violent,  when  a  little  air  should  be  given. 
In  three  days,  if  the  manure  was  sufficiently  moist,  the 
bed  will  be  ready  for  use.  If  it  has  settled  unequally, 
raise  the  frame  and  level  the  surface.  Place  in  the  frame 
six  inches  of  fine,  dark-colored,  sandy  garden-soil,  spread 
it  evenly,  and  put  on  the  sash.  When  warmed  through, 
sow  in  pots  plunged  in  the  mould,  or  in  small  drills  from 
one-eighth  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  deep,  varying  in  depth 
with  the  size  of  the  seeds,  and  cover  by  sifting  fine  earth 
on  the  surface.  Water  gently  by  sprinkling  with  tepid 
water  through  the  fine  rose  of  a  watering  pot.  When  the 
plants  appear,  they  should  have  air  every  day  freely  (un- 
less absolutely  freezing)  which  will  bring  them  up  strong, 
and  prevent  their  dropping  off  by  excess  of  confined 
moisture.  There  are  very  few  days  which  will  not  permit 
opening  the  bed,  not  by  sliding  down  the  sashes,  but  by 
raising  them  at  the  back,  holding  them  open  by  a  trian- 
gular block  to  slip  in  so  that  they  can  be  opened  from  two 


70  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

to  five  inches.  Open  the  bed  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  as 
above,  but  close  early  that  the  plants  may  not  become 
chilled.  During  warm,  gentle  rains,  the  sash  should  be 
opened,  but  closed  very  carefully  during  cold  or  heavy 
washing  storms.  About  60°  is  the  proper  temperature ;  it 
should  not  rise  above  75°.  Such  a  bed  as  this  is  invalu- 
able for  striking  cuttings  of  all  kinds,  in  which  case  there 
should  be  an  inch  of  clear  river  sand  or  charcoal  spread 
over  the  surface.  Annuals  of  all  kinds  for  the  flower 
garden,  tomatoes,  peppers,  cabbage  and  lettuce  plants,  etc., 
will  be  ready,  if  the  bed  is  made  in  January,  for  trans- 
planting quite  as  soon  as  they  can  be  removed  with  safety. 
Make  the  bed  six  or  eight  weeks  before  the  plants  will  be 
required.  The  quantity  of  manure  required  to  form  a  hot- 
bed varies  with  the  season  and  external  temperature,  a 
larger  bulk  being  needed  in  January  than  at  a  later  season. 
Even  a  small  bed  should  have  the  mass  not  less  than  five 
feet  long  by  four  feet  wide,  to  maintain  the  proper  heat. 
If  the  soil  whereon  it  stands  is  clayey  the  whole  bed  should 
be  made  above  ground,  as  the  water  settling  in  the  trench 
would  check  the  heat  of  the  entire  bed.  If  the  bed  is 
made  early  in  the  season  it  will  require  the  application  of 
fresh  materials  at  the  sides  or  "  linings  "  to  keep  it  at  the 
proper  temperature. 

The  best  substitute  for  stable  manure  in  forming  a  hot- 
bed is  spent  tan,  but  to  keep  it  in  its  position  a  plank  bin 
or  a  brick  pit  is  required.  It  takes  more  time  for  the  heat 
to  rise,  but  it  is  longer  continued,  milder  and  more  manage- 
able than  stable  manure,  and  is  quite  sufficient  for  a  seed 
bed.  A  little  slightly  fermented  stable  manure  is  needed 
to  be  added  to  the  center  of  the  bed,  as  it  will  start 
fermentation  sooner. 

In  sowing  the  bed  let  the  more  tender  plants,  as  egg- 
plants, peppers,  etc.,  be  sown  under  the  same  sash,  and 
separated  by  a  thin  plank  partition  under  the  cross-bar 
from  the  rest  of  the  frame.  The  finer  and  more  delicate 


HOT-BEDS,    COLD-FRAMES,   AND  PITS.  71 

seeds  will  require  the  sash  above  them  to  be  shaded  until 
the  plants  appear,  or  each  pot  may  be  separately  covered 
until  the  seeds  are  up.  At  night,  if  cold,  cover  the  bed 
with  plank  shutters,  old  carpets,  or  mats.  Gradually,  as 
the  plants  grow  strong,  accustom  them  to  the  air  as  the 
season  grows  mild.  This  can  be  done  by  opening  the  frames 
entirely  during  the  day,  and  leaving  them  exposed  dur- 
ing mild  nights,  or  by  transferring  them  to  the  cold  frame. 

Cold  Frames  are  made  just  like  those  for  the  hot-bed, 
only  the  box  need  not  be  over  15  inches  high  at  the  back, 
and  are  excellent  for  wintering  nearly  hardy  plants  of  all 
kinds,  and  also  for  forwarding  the  more  hardy  plants,  as 
hardy  annuals,  cabbage,  lettuce,  etc.  Indeed,  they  are 
quite  as  indispensable  as  the  hot-bed,  and  less  expensive, 
as  they  require  no  manure,  but  rest  directly  on  the  soil. 
They  are  also  of  great  service  in  hardening  off  hot-bed 
stock,  which  should  be  transferred  to  them  before  it  is 
set  out  in  the  open  ground.  In  very  severe  weather,  the 
heat  may  be  kept  in  by  earthing  up  the  sides  and  covering 
the  sash  with  mats  during  the  night.  Air  should  always 
be  given  when  the  weather  will  admit,  or  the  plants  will 
grow  up  yellow  and  spindling.  In  managing  frames,  the 
secret  of  success  is  to  give  plenty  of  air.  Plants  raised 
in  cold  frames  are  generally  more  hardy  and  desirable  than 
those  from  a  hot-bed,  unless  the  latter  are  repotted  early, 
and  when  reestablished,  transferred  to  the  cold  frame,  to 
harden  them.  A  cold  frame  or  pit  covered  with  tiffany  (a 
prepared  thin  cotton  cloth)  is  even  better  than  one  covered 
with  glass,  for  the  purpose  of  hardening  off  young  stock. 

Frames  of  all  kinds  should  be  painted  of  a  light  color, 
every  year,  both  for  the  preservation  of  the  wood  and  for 
the  destruction  of  insects  and  their  eggs,  that  are  con- 
cealed in  their  crevices  and  angles.  *  A  frame  for  raising 
seedlings  or  striking  cuttings  need  not  be  over  18  inches 
deep  at  the  back,  to  9  inches  in  front,  as  it  is  important  to 
keep  the  seedlings  near  the  glass. 


GARDENING   FOE   THE    SOUTH. 

Pits, — Fig.  4  shows  a  section  of  a  lean-to  pit,  in  which 
tall  plants  may  be  set  upon  the  bottom,  while  a  stage  may 
be  put  in  to  bring  small  plants  near  the  glass.  All  pits 
should  be  built  of  brick,  and  those  with  the  walls  built 
hollow  above  the  surface  are  preferable.  In  a  pit  6  feet 
wide  the  back  should  be  about  15  to  18  inches  higher  than 
the  front.  Pits  are  also  useful  in  protecting  delicate  plants 
in  summer,  from  heavy  rains  and  scorching  suns,  and  for 
bringing  up  many  seedlings  in  the  spring  that  do  not 
require  artificial  heat.  In  all  cases  ample  provision  must 
be  made  for  drainage,  as 
plants  will  not  nourish 
in .  damp,  confined  air. 
When  a  pit  is  desired 
merely  to  preserve  plants 
during  the  winter,  it  is  bet- 

,  ,  ,    -          ,          ,  n  Fig.  4. — SECTION   OF   FIT. 

ter  that  the  glass  should 

face  rather  to  the  north,  that  is  from  north-east  to  north- 
west, in  order  that  growth  may  not  be  excited,  and  the 
plants  thus  kept  perfectly  at  rest  during  the  winter.  If 
the  pit  faces  any  other  quarter  the  air  within  gets  heated 
and  the  plants  keep  on  growing  late  in  the  autumn,  are 
stimulated  into  temporary  growth  too  early  in  the  spring, 
and  are  much  more  in  danger  of  destruction  by  frost. 
The  pit  should  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible  and  ventilated 
daily  when  the  frost  is  not  too  severe,  and  to  protect  the 
roots  of  plants  from  frost  and  to  prevent  the  necessity  of 
frequent  waterings,  the  pots  should  be  plunged  in  some 
dry  material,  as  sand  or  tan-bark.  Very  little  water  should 
be  given  to  plants  in  their  dormant  state,  for  they  cannot 
assimilate  it.  Many  plants,  as  geraniums,  etc.,  in  such  a 
pit  will  require  but  one  or  two  waterings  during  an  entire 
winter.  Plants  thus  managed  will  endure  a  very  low 
temperature,  and  start  into  more  vigorous  growth  in  spring. 
At  night,  if  cold,  and  during  severe  weather  by  day,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  cover  the  glass  with  mats  or  shutters, 


GARDEN   IMPLEMENTS.  73 

to  prevent  the  frost  from  penetrating  and  the  heat  from 
being  lost  by  radiation. 


CHAPTER      VIII. 

GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 

The  principal  implements  employed  in  gardening  are 
the  following : 

1.  Implements  for  Preparing  and  Operating  upon  the 
Soil, 

SUBSOIL  PLOW. — This  is  of  great  service  in  large  gardens; 
it  answers  as  a  tolerable  substitute  for  the  spade  in  trench- 


Fig.  5. — SUBSOIL  PLOW. 

ing  for  orchards  and  market  gardens,  doing  the  work  more 
cheaply  and  expeditiously,  but  not  so  well.  It  requires  a 
powerful  team  to  manage  it.  One  form  is  shown  in  fig.  5. 
THE  ONE-HORSE  TURNING  PLOW  is  very  efficient  in 
deeply  stirring  the  soil  among  plantations  of  trees  and 
the  larger  garden  crops.  The  whiffletrees  should  be  short 
that  the  trees  and  plants  may  not  be  injured.  A  strong 
animal  is  required,  and  the  plow  must  not  come  too  near 
the  trees  and  plants.  The  common  plantation  plows  are 
also  quite  useful  in  garden  culture. 
4 


GARDENING   FOE   THE   SOUTH. 


THE  CULTIVATOR  supersedes  in  a  great  degree  the  ne- 
cessity of  hand-hoeing  among  the  main  crops  in  market 

gardens.  By  passing  it 
over  once  a  week  be- 
tween the  rows,  all  the 
hoeing  required  is  a  nar- 
row strip  of  a  few  inches 
in  the  row.  The  first 
working  of  the  season 
should  be  with  a  narrow 

.  6.— HARROW-TOOTHED    CULTIVA-         plow,     tO      Stir       the     Soil 
TOR. 

deeply ;     then    keep    it 

light  with  the  cultivator.     The  teeth  are  made  of  various 
shapes.     That  given  in  figure  6  has  harrow  teeth. 

THE  WHEELBARROW  is  indispensable  in  the  smallest 
garden.  In  carrying  manures,  applying  composts,  mov- 
ing soils,  and  gathering  crops,  it  is  of  constant  service. 
The  handles  and  frame  should  be  of  tough  wood,  but  the 
sides  and  bottom  may  be  of  poplar  or  any  light  material. 

THE  GARDEN  ROLLER.  (Fig.  7.) — This  consists  of  two 
cast  iron  sections  one  foot  in  width 
and  twenty  inches  in  diameter, 
with  an  iron  handle.  Weights  can 
be  attached  to  the  inside  to  make 
it  heavier.  Being  made  in  two 
sections,  the  earth  is  not  scraped  up 
while  turning  around.  It  is  very 
useful  in  keeping  grass  lawns 
smooth  and  velvety,  and  is  valu- 
able to  follow  the  putting  in  of  all 
seeds  in  sandy  soils.  Lawns  should 
be  rolled  when  the  ground  is  moder- 
ately  soft  with  rain,  after  each  mowing.  A  tolerable  sub- 
stitute, for  a  small  plot  of  grass,  is  a 

TURF  BEETLE,  made  of  plank  three  inches  thick, 
eighteen  inches  long,  and  ten  wide,  with  a  handle  inserted 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


75 


in  the  centre,  (fig.  8).     With  this  the  lawn  should  be 

beaten,  when  the  turf  is  set,  to  a  perfect  level.  If  the  han- 
dle is  slightly  inclined  towards  the 
operator,  it  is  easier  to  bring  down 
the  sole  perpendicularly.  This  is 
quite  as  effectual  a  mode  of  smoothing 
a  lawn  as  by  the  use  of  the  roller,  but 
much  more  time  and  labor  are  re- 
quired. 

THE  PICK.  —  This  is  indispensable 
in  trenching  hard  clay  subsoils  which 
the  spade  cannot  penetrate.  It  con- 
sists of  a  wooden  handle  inserted  in 
a  head  composed  of  two  iron  levers 
5TLK  both  pointed  with  steel,  one  of  which 

should  come  to  a  point 

and  the  other  be  made 

about  two  inches  wide 

for    cutting    roots  or 

any  obstructions. 
THE     SPADE.  —  The 

best     are     Lyndon's, 

made  of  cast  steel.    A 

large  one   is  required 

for  lifting  trees,  trench- 


ng, 


etc.     A  liht  six- 


inch  spade  (figure  9) 
is  very  convenient  for 
removing  small  shrubs 
and  plants,  which  are 
a  little  too  large  to  be 
lifted  with  a  trowel. 
The  long  -  handled 
shovels  and  spades  are 
perhaps  best,  except 
for  the  small  sizes. 


Fig.  9.—  SPADE.  Fig.  10.—  MANURE  FORK. 


76 


GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


SHOVELS  are  necessary  for  loading  and  spreading  com- 
posts and  manures.  The  round-pointed  one  is  most  con- 
venient for  garden  purposes.  Let  it  be  of  steel. 

MANURE  FORKS  (figure  10),  with 
from  four  to  eight  tines,  are  indispen- 
sable for  moving  fresh,  long  manures 
with  celerity  and  ease. 

SPADE  FORK. — A  four-tined  or  as- 
paragus fork,  also  called  a  spade  fork, 
made  of  cast  steel  with  Avide  tines 
cut  out  of  a  solid  plate,  as  in  figure  11, 
is  one  of  the  most  desirable  of  garden 
tools.  With  this  implement,  in  a 
stony  or  stiff  soil,  spading  can  be 
done  more  rapidly,  with  greater  ease 
to  the  workman,  and  quite  as  effectu- 
ally. It  is  also  used  to  loosen  the 
earth,  and  for  digging  manure  into 
asparagus  beds,  or  about  trees,  with- 
out injury  to  or  cutting  the  roots. 
THE  CROWBAR  is  used  in  the  gar- 
den, mostly  for  setting  poles  for 
climbers,  pea  brush,  or*  other  fixtures 
for  training  plants,  and  for  removing 
rocks  and  other  obstructions. 

HOES. — These  are  of  constant  use  in 
gardening.  They  are  of  two  kinds,  the 
draw-hoe  and  thrust-hoe,  but  the  draw- 
hoe  is  the  most  convenient.  The  most 
useful  are  the  round  and  square  draw- 
hoes,  etc. ;  made  of  a  cast  steel  plate  six 
inches  long  and  four  wide ;  the  common 
cotton  hoe  for  ordinary  use ;  the  triangu- 
ar  d  raw-hoe  (fig.  12)  for  digging  furrows 
and  sowing  seeds ;  and  the  narrow  semi- 
circular or  narrow  square  turnip  hoes  with  sharp  edges  for 


te.    11.— SPADE    FORK. 


12. — TRIANGU- 
LAR HOE. 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


77 


scraping  the  surface  and  killing  weeds.     For  breaking  up 

the  crust  which 
forms  after  a  rain, 
the  scuffle  hoe,  fig. 
13,  is  of  great  use. 
This  hoe,  the  six- 
inch  spade,  and  the 
trowel,  are  the  fa- 
vorite tools  for  the 
personal  use  of 
amateurs,  being  all 
light  and  in  con- 
stant requisition. 
The  handles  of  all 
hoes  should  be 
smooth  and  light, 
and  there  should 
be  no  extra  weight 
about  the  imple- 
ment. 

THE       GARDEN 
RAKE  (figure    14) 


Fig.  13.— SCUFFLE  HOE. 


Fig.  14. — STEEL  RAKE. 

is  indispensable  for  levelling  and  finely  pulverizing  the 

ground  preparatory  to  sowing  small 

seeds    after   it  has    been   spaded  or 

hoed.     The  best  are  those  hammered 

out  of  a  solid  bar  of  steel,  as  they 

never  lose  their    teeth    or    get   out 

of  order. 

THE   POTATO   HOOK  is  useful  for 
many  of  the  purposes  of  both  hoe  and 
rake,  as  for  loosening  the  earth  among 
young  plants,  for  covering  seeds  in 
drills,  and  also  for  digging  out  Irish      Fig.  15.— HOE-FORK. 
and  sweet  potatoes  without  cutting  them.     This  is  also 
called  the  hoe-fork ;  one  form  is  shown  in  fig.  15. 


78  GARDENING   FOB   THE    SOUTH. 

DRILL  RAKES  OR  MARKERS  are  made  of  wood,  and  the 
teeth  placed  at  a  greater  or  less  distance  for  sowing  differ- 
ent seeds.  In  using,  the  first  drill  is  guided  by  stretching 

a  line,  and  afterwards 
the  first  tooth  is  kept 
in  the  drill  last  made 
to  guide,  and  thus  all 
the  rows  in  a  long 
bed  can  be  made  per- 
fectly parallel.  Sev- 
eral different  sizes  are 
Fig.  16.— DOUBLE  MARKER.  required.  That  re- 

presented in  figure  16  has  a  set  of  teeth  on  each  side,  at 
nine  and  twelve  inches  apart.  By  using  every  mark,  or 
every  other  one,  four  different  distances  may  be  marked 
with  this. 

THE  DIBBLE  is  very  convenient  in  transplanting  cab- 
bages and  all  those  plants  that  readily 
succeed  when  moved.  It  is  usually  made 
of  a  stick  of  hard  wood  about  fifteen 
inches  long ;  the  point  should  be  a  little 
blunt.  The  hole  is  made  with  the  imple- 
ment, the  plant  is  put  in,  and  set  by  again 
inserting  the  dibble  so  as  to  press  the 
earth  against  the  roots.  Figure  17  shows 
two  forms. 

THE  TROWEL  is  an  indispensable 
implement  for  removing  flowers  and  other  Figl  17>~~ DIBBLES- 
tender  plants,  as  they  can  be  taken  up  with  a  ball  of  earth 
attached,  without  injury  or  mutilation  to  the  roots.  It 
should  always  be  of  polished  steel. 
The  blade  is  shaped  like  the  curved 
Fig.  18.-TROWEL.  portion  of  the  section  of  a  cone,  as 

in  figure  18. 

THE  TRANSPLANTER  consists  of  the  two  parts,  a  and  £, 
fig.  19,  hinged  together  on  one  side  at  c.  When  a  plant  is 


GARDEN   IMPLEMENTS. 


79 


Fig.  19.— TRANS- 
PLANTER. 


to  be  taken  up,  the  transplanter  is  sunk  into  the  ground 
with  the  foot  to  the  required  depth.  The  handles  are  then 
pressed  apart,  which  compresses  the  earth 
closely  about  the  root  of  the  plant 
operated  upon,  which  with  the  ball  of 
earth  enclosed,  can  be  readily  removed 
bodily  and  with  no  more  disturbance  than 
if  planted  out  from  a  pot.  The  hole  in 
which  it  is  set  must  be  previously  pre- 
pared for  receiving  it. 

THE  GARDEN  REEL  AND  LINE. — The 
line  should  be  a  good  hemp  cord  J  of  an 
inch  in  diameter.  The  axis  of  the  reel  is 
fastened  in  the  earth.  It  is  indispen- 
sable where  neatness  and  regularity  are 
desired  in  the  rows  and  plats.  It  can  be 
easily  and  quickly  wound  up  when  not  in  use.  Figure 
20  gives  the  form  usually  sold  by  the  implement  dealers ; 
a  wooden  one  can  be  easily  made. 

THE  LEVEL  is  necessary  in  laying 
off  terraces  and  drains.  A  frame 
shaped  like  the  letter  A  may  be  used 
with  a  plumb  line  attached  at  the 
point,  and  long  enough  to  reach  be- 
low the  cross-bar.  Make  a  mark 
upon  the  cross-bar,  at  the  place  where 
the  line  hangs  when  both  legs  are 
upon  a  level  surface.  A  spirit  level, 
which  may  be  screwed  on  to  the 
cross  bar,  is  more  convenient. 

SCREENS  for  sifting  earth,  for  filling  flower-pots  or 
covering  small  seeds,  are  best  made  with  rather  stout 
wires,  and  the  meshes  should  be  of  two  or  three  sizes, 
varying  from  f  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  in  diameter;  the 
frames  may  be  square  or  round. 


i£.  20. — REEL   &   LINE. 


80 


GARDENING    FOE   THE    SOUTH. 


2.  Cutting  Implements,  for  Operating  on  Plants. 

THE  PKUNING-SAW  (fig.  21)  is  from  fourteen  to  eighteen 
inches     long,    lias    fine  /— 
teeth,     and    a     hooked 
handle,  for  hanging  upon 
a  limb,  while  in  the  tree. 


Fig.  21.— PRUNING  SAW. 


It  is  also  used  in  cutting  off  large  stocks  for  grafting.  One 
with  a  blade  tapering  nearly  to  a  point  will  be  found 
convenient. 

THE  Bow-SAW  (figure  22)  has  a  narrow  blade,  stiffen- 
ed with  an  arched 
back,  the  blade  of 
which  can  be  made 
more  or  less  stiff,  by 
Fig.  22.-BOW-SAW.  tightening  the  screw 

on  which  the  back  turns,  is  the  best  for  gardening  pur- 
poses, and  indispensable  for  sawing  off  stocks  horizontally, 
near  the  ground.  A  small  tenon  saw  is  very  convenient. 
HAND  J?RUNING-SHEAKS. — Various  patterns' are  made, 
one  of  the  latest  of  which  is  given  in  figure  23.  They 
are  useful  in  clipping  hedges,  shortening  in  peach  trees, 


Fig.  23. — PRUNING   SHEARS. 

and  cutting  out  small,  dead  branches.  One  man,  with 
them,  can  do  as  much  as  four  with  a  priming-knife.  Small 
sizes  are  made  for  ladies,  and  are  very  highly  finished. 

POLE  PRUNING-SHEARS  are  fastened  to  a  long  handle, 
and  worked  with  a  cord  passing  over  a  pulley.     They  are 


GARDEN   IMPLEMENTS.  81 

used  for  removing  dead  branches,  or  those  infested  with 
insects,  from  high  trees.     Branches  an  inch  in  diameter 

can  be  cut  off  with  this  in- 
strument. They  are  best 
with  a  sliding  centre.  Figure 
24  shows  one  of  the  several 
forms. 

HEDGE  SHEARS  (figure  25) 
are  needed  for  giving  an  even 
face  to  a  hedge  in  pruning  it, 
and  also  for  trimming  box 
edgings. 

PRUNING-SCISSORS  are  also 
made  with  a  sliding  centre 
Fig.  34.—  POLE  PRYING-SHEARS.  an(j  spring.  They  cut  as 
smoothly  as  a  pruning-knife,  and  are  very  convenient  for 
ladies  to  use  when 
pruning  rose-bushes. 
VINE-SCISSORS  are 
used  in  thinning 
grapes,  when  they 
are  too  much  crowd- 
ed in  the  bunches.  Fig.  25.— HEDGE  SHEARS. 

PRUNING-KNIVES. — Those  of  English  make  (Saynor's) 
are  the  best.  One  of  moderate  size,  about  four  inches 
long,  is  most  convenient  for  the  pocket.  Another,  of 

larger  size,  for 
heavy  work,  is  de- 
sirable. For  some 
uses  those  with  a 
Fig.  26.— PRUNING  KNIFE.  blade  more  curved 

than  in  figure  26  will  be  found  convenient. 

THE  BUDDING-KNIFE  has  a  broad,  flat  blade,  the  edge 
of  which  is  rounded  outwards,  to  make  the  incision  in  the 
bark  more  readily.     It  has  an  ivory  haft,  thin  and  smooth 
4* 


GARDENING   FOIl   THE    SOUTH. 


at  the  end,  for  raising  the  bark.     Figure  27  shows  the 
most  common  form. 


Fig.  27. — BUDDING  KNIFE. 

THE  GRAFTING-TOOL  (figure  28)  is  much  employed  in 
cleft-grafting  large 
stocks.  It  is  used 
ior  splitting  the 
stock,  and  has  a 
sharp  edge,  curved 
inwards,  to  cut  the 
bark  in  splitting. 
The  wedge  part  is  FiS-  28.-GBAnnra-TooL. 

used  to  keep  the  stock  open  while  the  scions  are  inserted. 
THE  LAWX-SCYTHE,  with  snath,  is   very  necessary,  to 
keep  the  grass  smooth  shaven  and  of  that  soft 
green,  velvety  appearance,  so  desirable.     Those 
made  of  a  thin  plate  of  steel,  welded  to  an  iron 
back,  are  light  and  durable,  and  may  be  whetted 
until  the  blade  is  within  half  an  inch  of  the  back, 
without  grinding.     Where  there  is  much  extent 
of  lawn,  a  Lawn-Mowing  Machine,  drawn  by  one 
or  two  horse-power,  will  be  found  convenient. 
THE  BUSH-HOOK  (figure  29)  is  useful  about 
old  rose  hedges,  and  is  valuable  for  clearing  up 
the  undergrowth  in  opening 
new  lands. 


THE  GBASS-EDGER  (figure 
30)  is  used  for  trimming  the 
edges  of  grass  plots.  A  long 
handle  is  attached,  and  it  is 
pressed  forward,  guided  by 
a  line  or  the  eye  of  the  operator. 


Fig.  29.— BUSH-       Fig.  30. 

HOOK.  GRASS-EDGER. 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS. 


83 


3,  Instruments  for  Designating,  Watering,  etc. 

TALLIES.  —  Those  for  common  use,  to  last  a  single  sea- 
son, are  most  readily  prepared  from  the  white  pine  of 
which  most  dry-goods  boxes  are  made.  The  wood  is  very 
soft.  For  marking  trees  or  grafts,  a  small  tally,  three- 
quarters  of  an  inch  wide  by  three  inches  long,  notched  at 
one  end  for  attaching  the  wire,  is  commonly  used. 
The  name  of  the  variety  should  be  marked  on  it  with 
a  lead  pencil,  immediately  after  the  tally  has  been 
brushed  over  with  a  thin  coat  of  white 
lead.  If  marked  while  the  paint  is  wet, 
it  can  be  read  as  long  as  the  tally  lasts  ; 
otherwise  it  will  soon  be  effaced. 

Another  kind  is  made,  about  six  or 
eight  inches  long  by  an  inch  wide,  of  the 
same  material,  and  marked  in  the  same 
manner,  to  be  stuck  in  the  beds  of  flowers 
and  vegetables,  to  mark  the  different 
varieties.  Zinc  labels  are  very  durable. 
They  may  be  cut  in  any  desired  shape 
out  of  sheet  zinc.  Write  on  it  with  an 
ink  made  of  two  parts  fine  verdigris,  two 
sal  ammoniac,  one  lampblack.  After  this 
is  made  fine  in  a  mortar,  add  twenty 
parts  water;  bottle  and  shake  it  oc- 
casionally some  days  before  using.  It 
will  keep  for  years,  if  the  bottle  is  kept 
cork  downward,  to  prevent  the  ammonia 
from  escaping.  The  labels  should  be 
fastened  to  the  limbs  with  a  stout  wire. 
be  mapped,  that  the  names  may  be  ascertained  should  the 
tallies  get  lost  or  become  effaced. 

FOLDING-LADDERS  are  very  convenient  in  gathering 
fruit.  The  rounds  are  fastened  by  pivots  at  the  ends  on 
which  they  turn,  and  when  the  ladder  is  folded  up,  they 
lie  in  grooves  made  in  the  side-pieces.  Figure  31  shows 
the  ladder  both  open  and  closed. 


31.— FOLDING 
LADDER. 


Orchards  should 


84 


GARDENING    FOR    THE    SOUTH. 


THE  STANDING-LADDER  is  also  indispensable  in  the  fruit 
garden.  It  should  be  made  light,  with  Hat  steps. 
The  supports  are  two  sticks  of  light  timber  fixed 
to  the  top,  with  hooks  and  straps,  to  be  expanded 
or  contracted  at  pleasure.  It  should  be  six 
or  eight  feet  high. 

THE  ORCHARDIST'S  HOOK  is  a  light  rod  with 
a  hook  at  the  end,  with  a  movable  piece  of  wood 
which  slides  upon  the  rod,  as  in  figure  82.     The 
branches  to  be  gathered  from  are  brought  near 
by  the  hooked  end,  and  retained  in  place  by 
hooking  the  sliding-piece  over  another  branch. 
GARDEN  ENGINES. — These  are  made  of  wood 
or  iron  in  many  forms,  and  act  upon  the  princi- 
^  op      pie  of  the  forcing  pump.     The  tubes  should  be 
made  very  strong,  or  they  will  be  likely  to  burst 

in  case  of  any  obstruction.     They  are  very  convenient  for 

watering    on    an 

extended  scale,  as 

in  plantations  of 

strawberries,  etc. 
WATERING-POTS 

are    well  -  known 

implements,  very 

necessary      in     a  Pig.  88.-wATEKiNO  POT. 

garden  or  green-house  (figure  33) .  The  best  are  of  cop- 
per. There  should  be  two  or 
three  roses  of  different  fineness 
Hang  them  so  the  water  can 
run  out,  when  not  in  use.  Tin 
ones  should  be  painted  oc- 
casionally, to  prevent  rusting. 
In  the  French  watering-pot, 
figure  34,  by  the  peculiar 
construction  of  the  handle, 

Fig.  34.— FRENCH  WATERING  POT.  the   weight    is    more    easily 


GARDEN    IMPLEMENTS.  85 

balanced  in  the  hands,  which  enables  the  user  to  empty 
with  far  less  muscular  exertion  than  with  a  pot  upon  the 
old  plan. 

HAND  SYRINGES  are  useful  in  watering  plants  in  gar- 
dens or  in  pots.  They  will  also  be  found  very  necessary 
in  the  pit  or  green-house,  in 
washing  the  foliage  of  plants. 
They  should  be  made  of  copper, 
with  several  caps  of  greater  or 
less  fineness.  There  should  also 
be  an  inverted  or  gooseneck  cap, 

Fig.  35.— VINE   SHIELD. 

for  washing  the  under  side  ot 
leaves.  They  are  made  of  any  desired  size,  up  to  a  gallon. 
Insects  may  be  expelled  from  plants  by  using  an  infusion 
of  tobacco  or  sulphur-water  for  sprinkling  them. 

VINE-SHIELDS  (fig.  35)  are  for  protecting  young  plants 
from  the  cucumber  and  squash  bugs.  The  top  may  be 
covered  with  millinet.  They  should  be  about  eight  or 
ten  inches  high,  and  made  bevelled, 
so  that  one  can  be  set  within  the 
other  when  put  away.  They  are 
made  with  or  without  a  pane  of 
glass  in  the  top.  Put  around  any 
half-hardy  plant,  with  a  lock  of 
hay  in  them,  they  afford  a  very  Fig"  ^.-HAND-GLASS. 
good  protection  during  winter.  With  a  movable  top, 
containing  a  pane  or  two  of  glass,  they  are  a  tolerable 
substitute  for  the  next  described. 

THE  HAND-GLASS. — The  frame  is  made  either  of  hard 
wood  or  cast  iron.  It  is  made  in  two  parts,  to  give  air 
readily  to  the  plants.  Its  mode  of  construction  is  readily 
seen  in  figure  36.  It  is  used  for  protecting  and  forward- 
ing vegetables,  etc. 

BELL-GLASSES  (figure  37)  of  different  sizes  are  cheaper, 
and  in  protecting  and  forwarding  small  plants  are  as  use- 
ful as  the  hand-glass. 


80  GARDENING  FOK  THE  SOUTH. 

PLANT-PROTECTORS. — These  are  made  as  follows:  Cut 
up  a  three-fourth  inch  plank,  at  least  a  foot  wide,  into 
lengths  of  twelve  or  fifteen  inches.  These  are  the  covers 
or  tops,  which  are  to  screen  your  plants  from  sun  and  frost. 
Raise  them  above  the  plants  you  wish  to  protect,  by  nail- 
ing them  at  each  end  to  a  narrower  bit  of  thick  plank, 
say  nine  inches  in  width,  and  of 
the  same  length  as  the  width  of 
the  cover,  as  at  «,  figure  38. 
They  are  also  made  by  tacking 
together  at  the  edge  two  pieces 
of  plank  a  foot  square,  as  at  b. 
They  may  be  braced  with  strips 
of  lath,  where  dotted,  if  desired. 
Fig.  37.— BELL-GLASS.  When  you  fear  a  frost,  put  these 
over  the  hills  of  beans,  cucumbers,  etc.  It  will  protect 
them  perfectly.  If  you  wish  to  transplant  your  cab- 
bages, or  anything  in  your  flower-garden,  do  not  wait 
for  a  "  season,"  but  do  it  any  day,  just  at  night,  in  fresh- 
dug  soil,  giving  the  roots  a  good  watering.  Cover  them 
daily  with  the  protectors, 
taking  them  off  at  night, 
that  they  may  be  freshened 
with  the  dew.  After 
couple  of  days  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  stand  the  pro- 

T  ,1  -i  Fiff     38  — PLANT   PROTECTOR. 

tector  on  edge  on  the  south 

side  of  the  plants,  to  keep  off  the  mid-day  sun.  In 
three  or  four  days  the  roots  will  be  established.  They 
are  also  of  use  when  the  weather  is  so  dry  that  hills 
of  melons,  squashes,  etc.,  will  not  come  up.  Water 
the  hills  with  a  fine  rose  watering-pot,  and  lay  the 
protector  over  the  hills,  and  the  young  seedlings  will  soon 
make  their  appearance.  When  above  ground,  take  off 
the  protector  and  let  the  dew  fall  upon  them  at  night,  and 
in  a  day  or  two  dispense  with  it  entirely.  They  are  ex- 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  8? 

cellent,  also,  to  put  over  the  patches  of  newly  planted 
flower  seeds,  causing  them  to  come  up  much  sooner.  Re- 
move them  when  necessary  to  admit  mild  rains,  and  en- 
tirely when  the  plants  appear. 

Shingles,  sharpened  so  as  to  enter  the  earth  easily,  are 
very  useful  to  protect  plants,  newly  set  out,  from  the  di- 
rect rays  of  the  sun ;  two  of  them,  inserted  at  right  angles 
to  each  other,  with  the  point  of  the  angle  to  the  south,  and 
inclined  so  that  the  tops  come  a  little  over  the  plant,  will 
screen  it  completely  from  the  sun,  and  at  the  same  time 
allow  the  night  dews  and  gentle  rains  to  refresh  the  plants. 


CHAPTER      IX. 

PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS. 

There  are  two  modes  of  propagating  plants,  viz.,  by 
seed  and  by  division.  Species  are  propagated  by  seed, 
but  varieties,  except  in  the  case  of  annuals,  generally  by 
division,  as  they  do  not  always  continue  true  from  seed. 
There  are  also  two  modes  of  propagating  by  division;  in 
the  one,  the  plants  root  in  the  ground  as  suckers,  layers, 
and  cuttings,  and  in  the  other  they  are  made  to  unite  with 
another  plant,  as  in  budding,  grafting,  and  inarching. 
While  all  plants  are  naturally  multiplied  by  seed,  most 
kinds  also  allow  of  propagation  by  division,  as  by  taking 
offsets,  or  parting  their  roots,  by  suckers,  cuttings,  run- 
ners, layers,  etc.  Propagation  by  seed  often  produces 
new  varieties,  which  are  only  to  be  perpetuated  by  division 
of  their  roots,  cuttings,  layers,  or  by  budding  and  grafting 
upon  stocks. 

Propagation  by  Seed, — The  most  healthy  and  vigorous 
plants  are  generally  produced  by  seed,  though  many  varie- 


88  GARDE  >vC*G    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

ties  can  only  be  perpetuated  by  propagating  by  division 
The  following  conditions  are  necessary,  says  Thompson, 
for  successful  propagation  by  seed  :  1st.  That  the  seeds  be 
perfectly  ripened.  2d.  That  they  have  been  properly  kept 
until  the  period  of  sowing.  3d.  That  they  be  sown  at 
the  proper  time ;  and,  finally,  that  the  sowing  be  per- 
formed in  the  proper  manner.  And  it  may  be  added  that 
to  accomplish  the  object  of  sowing,  the  seeds  sown  must  be 
of  just  the  kind  intended  to  be  used,  and  true  to  that  kind. 

The  Maturity  and  Soundness  of  Seeds  are  necessary,  to 
ensure  the  growth  and  perfection  of  the  young  plant. 
These  can  generally  be  determined  by  their  external  and 
internal  appearance.  If  in  cutting  the  larger  seeds  the 
substance  of  the  seed  be  of  the  natural  color,  and  the  em- 
bryo be  fresh  and  perfect,  it  will  probably  germinate.  So 
if  externally  they  have  a  clear  color  and  a  fresh,  plump 
appearance,  they  will  be  likely  to  grow.  The  soundness 
of  those  that  sink  in  water  when  good,  (and  most  seeds  do,) 
may  be  tested  by  putting  them  in  warm  water.  Nearly 
all  sound  seeds  will  sink  in  this  fluid  in  a  short  time.  Of 
the  finer  seeds,  a  skillful  eye  will  determine  the  quality 
with  the  microscope.  But  the  surest  test  is,  planting  a 
few  properly  in  a  pot,  protecting  the  surface  from  drying 
with  a  square  of  glass,  and  keeping  it  in  a  warm  room, 
or  plunged  in  a  hot-bed  or  in  a  pit,  giving  it  the  heat  nat- 
urally required  by  the  species  for  germination. 

Seeds  are  more  often  unsound  from  mouldiness  or  age, 
than  from  not  having  been  properly  ripened.  They  should 
be  stored  where  they  will  be  least  afiected  by  the  presence 
of  moisture  and  the  changes  of  temperature.  About  40°, 
but  not  lower,  is  said  to  be  the*  best.  Many  oily  seeds  be- 
come rancid,  and  will  not  vegetate  when  sown. 

Generally,  seeds  should  be  kept  dry,  but  acorns  and 
chestnuts  thus  kept  soon  lose  their  vitality  and  must  be 
kept  until  planted  in  rather  dry  loam,  or  slightly  dampen- 


PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS.  89 

ed  moss,  well  packed.  Nearly  all  seeds  keep  better  in 
closely  packed  dry  soil,  the  air  being  thus  mostly  exclud- 
ed, than  hermetically  sealed  in  bottles.  In  close  stopped 
bottles  or  jugs,  the  air  often  becomes  saturated  with  the 
moisture  and  exhalations  from  the  seeds,  which,  in  the  im- 
pure, damp,  close  atmosphere,  soon  become  completely 
spoiled.  But  peas,  beans,  and  other  seeds,  where  liable 
to  insects,  after  they  are  well  dried,  should  be  put  in  bot- 
tles well  corked,  and  a  few  drops  of  spirits  of  turpentine, 
of  chloroform,  or  a  bit  of  camphor,  put  in  with  the  seeds. 
Either  of  these  is  fatal  to  these  insects.  For  most  seeds 
it  is  sufficient  that  they  be  gathered,  when  fully  ripe,  in 
dry  weather,  and  thoroughly  dried  before  they  are  thresh- 
ed. If  any  moisture  then  appears,  dry  them  further,  and 
store  in  paper  bags  where  they  will  be  free  from  damp 
and  vermin.  In  the  first  column  of  the  following  table 
is  given  the  time  that  certain  seeds  will  keep,  according 
to  Vilmorin;  the  second  column  gives  the  earlier  table  of 
Cobbet.  It  is  generally  best  to  select  fresh  seed,  as  seeds 
lose  their  vitality  very  soon. 

Tears.  Tears.  Tears. 

Artichoke 5—  31Dock 3—  1  [Pennyroyal —  2 

Asparagus 4—  4jEndive 9—  4IPotato  (Sweet) 2—  3 

Balm —  2!E<?g Plant —  7|Potato  (Irish) —  3 


Basil 8—  2  Fennel 5—  5;Pumpkin 5—10 

Bean 6—  2|Garlick —  SlPurslane 8—  2 


(Kidney) 3—  1  Gourd 

Beet 5— 10  Hop 

Borage 3—  4  Horseradish 

Broccoli, 5—  4|Hysso 


Burnet. .2 —  6  Jerusalem  Artichoke 


Cabbage 5 —  4 

Calabash. . .  . .  5—  7 


sop 
salem 


5—  10  Radish  ..............  5—2 

5—  2 
—  4 
Rhubart  _____  ........  3—  1 


—  as  .............. 

—  8  Rampion  ............. 

—  4  Rape 

—  6|Rhub 


alem  Artichoke    — SjRosemary 4 — 3 

Kale 5— 4lRue —3 

_       .     "  (Sea) 3— 3iRuta-baga 5—4 

Camomile —  2  Lavender —  2iSa2:e. —  3 

Capsicum 4—  2  Leek 2—  2;  Salsify 2—2 

Caraway 2— 4  Lentil —  3!  Samphire —9 

Carrot 4— II  Lettuce 5—  3 1  Savory 3— 

Cauliflower 5 —  4|Mangel  Wurzel 5— 10  Scorzonera 2— 


Celery 

Chervil 

Cives  

Corn 

Corn -Salad 

Coriander.. 


— lOMarjoram 2— 4,Shalot —4 

2—  6  Marigold —  3!Skirret 2—  4 

2—  SjMelon 5— lOlSorrel 2—  7 

2—  3iMint '.....  —  4Spinach 5—  4 

5—  2|Mustard 5—  4iSquash 5—10 

—  3  Nasturtium 5 —  2|Tansy  ... 


Cress 5—  3  Okra —  4jTarragon —  4 

"    (Winter    3—     Onion 2—  2jThvme 2—2 

"    (Water) 4—     Parsley 3—  6  Tomato 5—  2 

Cucumber 5— lOjParsnip 2— 1  Turnip 5—4 

Dandelion —10! Pea  (English) 4— H  Wormwood —3 


90  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

The  Time  Of  Sowing  all  indigenous  seeds  in  any  locality 
is  most  favorable  when  they  naturally  fall  from  the  plants. 
Hardy  annuals,  likewise,  do  much  better  if  sown  in  au- 
tumn, or  quite  early  in  the  spring.  If  not  in  the  ground 
early,  they  flower  late  and  badly.  There  are  some  excep- 
tions, as  in  the  case  of  haws  and  cedar  berries,  which  hang 
until  swallowed  by  birds,  and  sprout  more  freely  after 
having  undergone  the  digestive  process.  Some  exotics 
of  a  hardy  character  likewise  succeed  best  when  sown  at 
the  time  the  seed  falls,  vegetating  in  autumn,  growing 
slowly  through  the  colder  months,  and  progressing  rap- 
idly when  spring  opens.  Others  coming  from  a  different 
climate,  starting  into  growth  in  autumn,  would  perish 
during  the  winter  months ;  but  kept  and  sown  when  the 
temperature  of  the  air  and  soil  in  spring  is  suitable 
for  vegetating  them,  they  will  advance  rapidly  as  the 
weather  becomes  more  and  more  favorable  to  growth. 
In  some  cases  where  it  might  be  best  to  sow  at  the 
natural  period,  if  the  aim  was  simply  to  continue  the  spe- 
cies, other  motives  render  it  necessary  to  sow  at  other 
times.  A  succession  of  flowers  or  a  continued  supply  of 
vegetables  during  the  season  may,  in  the  case  of  annual 
or  biennial  plants,  make  repeated  sowings  at  proper  inter- 
vals desirable. 

Trees  and  shrubs  it  is  well  to  sow,  if  practicable,  at  the 
natural  period,  but  it  is  desirable  the  seedlings  should  not 
make  their  appearance  above  ground  until  a  favorable 
season  for  growth.  This  is  most  readily  secured  in  the 
case  of  seeds  that  do  not  keep  well  dry  by  stratification 
or  mixing  them  with  soil  in  autumn,  but  not  encouraging 
growth  until  spring.  This  is  done  by  placing  a  layer  of 
seeds  upon  the  surface  of  the  soil,  then  a  layer  an  inch  or 
two  thick  of  sand  or  light  soil,  and  so  on,  the  whole  being 
laid  so  as  to  form  a  cone,  over  which  is  spread  a  covering 
of  soil  to  protect  from  wet  and  frost.  This  should  be 
done  where  least  likely  to  invite  the  attacks  of  mice  and 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  91 

other  animals.  Small  quantities  of  seeds  of  this  kind  may 
be  stratified  in  boxes  and  flower  pots,  covered  from  rats 
and  mice  and  placed  in  a  cool  situation  until  spring.  Holly 
seed  requires  to  be  kept  thus  two  years.  When  vegeta- 
tion begins  to  take  place,  the  seeds,  still  mixed  with  the 
earth  in  which  they  have  lain,  can  be  sown  in  soil  properly 
prepared.  The  larger  seeds  can  be  taken  from  the  soil 
and  planted  out  in  the  drills  at  proper  distances. 

Seeds  must  be  sown  in  the  proper  manner. — Seedsmen 
are  often  blamed  for  selling  bad  seed,  when  the  sole  fault 
is  with  the  planter.  That  seed  may  germinate,  moisture, 
air,  and  a  certain  degree  of  warmth,  varying  with  each 
variety,  are  necessary.  Chick  weed  will  vegetate  at  32° 
F.,  but  for  most  seeds  of  plants  of  temperate  climates  the 
best  germinating  temperature  is  about  60°  F.;  of  half-hardy 
plants  70°  F.;  of  tropical  plants  about  80°  F.;  but  some 
require  100°  F. 

Light  must  also  be  excluded  until  the  root  can  derive 
nourishment  from  the  soil.  The  first  effect  of  air,  heat, 
and  moisture  upon  the  seed,  is  to  change  its  starchy  mat- 
ter into  the  proper  food  of  the  embryo.  If  at  this  time 
the  seed  be  withered  by  exposure  to  heat  without  sufficient 
covering,  it  will  perish.  It  often  happens  that  seeds  are 
planted  in  a  fresh-dug  soil,  and  the  above  change  in  the 
properties  of  the  seed  takes  place,  but  the  earth  not  being 
pressed  upon  it,  the  seed  dries  up  and  the  embryo  perishes. 
Others,  again,  are  buried  too  deeply,  and  though  the  seed 
swells,  yet  sufficient  air  and  warmth  are  not  obtained  to 
give  the  embryo  life.  The  seed  should  be  just  so  far 
covered  as  to  exclude  light,  and  afford  barely  sufficient 
moisture  for  its  wants.  The  first  thing  in  sowing  is  a 
suitable  preparation  of  the  soil,  so  that  the  young  roots 
thrown  out  may  easily  penetrate  it.  It  must  be  made 
more  or  less  fine  for  different  seeds.  Peas  and  beans  do 
not  require  the  soil  to  be  as  finely  pulverized  as  small 
seeds.  The  seeds  must  also  be  firmly  fixed  in  the  soil,  and 


92  GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

pressed  by  the  earth  in  every  part,  in  order  to  retain  moist- 
ure sufficient  to  encourage  vegetation ;  but  they  should  not 
be  so  deeply  buried  as  to  be  deprived  of  air,  or  have  their 
ascending  shoots  impeded  by  too  much  soil  above.  In  all 
cases,  seeds  should  be  sown  in  fresh-dug  soil,  that  they 
may  have  the  benefit  of  the  moisture  therein,  but  they 
should  never  be  put  in  when  the  soil  is  really  wet,  as  the 
ground  will  bake  and  the  seed  perish.  Moist  weather  in 
summer  is  excellent  for  putting  in  seeds,  provided  the 
ground  is  still  friable.  Just  before  a  light  rain  is  the  best 
possible  time  for  sowing  turnips  and  other  summer-sown 
crops. 

Seeds  of  most  kinds  should  be  sown  in  drills  or  rows. 
In  these  they  can  be  placed  at  any  required  depth,  while 
if  broadcast,  some  will  be  uncovered,  and  others  too 
deeply  buried  in  the  earth.  In  drills  you  can  know  also 
where  to  look  for  the  young  plants ;  they  can  have  the 
soil  dug  around  them ;  they  will  thus  grow  much  faster, 
and  are  much  more  easily  thinned  and  cultivated.  When 
the  seeds  are  planted,  the  earth  should  generally  be  press- 
ed upon  them  with  a  roller,  by  treading  with  the  feet, 
in  the  case  of  large  seeds,  by  smoothing  the  surface 
with  the  back  of  the  spade,  or  by  walking  over  them  on  a 
board  for  the  smaller  kinds.  Pressing  the  earth  upon 
them  will  retain  the  moisture  about  them,  and  hasten 
their  vegetation.  When  they  come  up,  keep  them  free 
from  weeds,  and  thin  them  as  hereafter  directed  in  treat- 
ing of  each  plant. 

A  great  deal  of  the  subsequent  growth  of  the  plant  de- 
pends upon  their  not  being  sown  too  thickly,  or  at  least 
thinned  properly  as  soon  as  the  young  seedlings  appear. 
A  plant  raised  among  a  lot  of  crowded  seedlings  is  very 
apt  to  die  before  it  has  made  its  fourth  leaf.  This  seldom, 
happens  if  the  seeds  are  sown  thin,  and  a  little  powdered 
charcoal  is  mixed  with  the  earth. 

Some  seeds,  which,  like  those  of  the  carrot,  adhere  to- 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  93 

gether,  must  be  rubbed  in  the  hands  with  dry  sand  to  in- 
sure a  more  equal  distribution  in  the  drill.  Others,  like 
the  beet,  are  covered  with  a  hard  shell,  and  others  still  with 
a  tough  skin.  Both  these  may  be  soaked  in  water  until  it 
is  somewhat  softened,  and  by  notching  into  the  latter, 
germination  is  hastened.  For  broadcast  sowing,  very 
small  seeds  are  often  mixed  with  fine  soil  in  order  to  en- 
sure their  being  scattered  more  equally. 

Among  the  other  most  frequent  causes  of  failure  in  seeds 
are  being  sown  in  too  dry  earth  and  sowing  them  too  deep. 
Excessive  moisture  is  also  to  be  guarded  against,  and  giv- 
ing them  too  much  or  too  little  bottom  heat.  M.  AppeJius 
observes  that  seedlings  raised  in  hot-beds  or  frames  fre- 
quently cause  disappointment  from  bad  management. 
Asters,  Stocks,  Phlox,  Petunias,  Pansies,  etc.,  do  better 
in  a  very  gentle  hot-bed,  and  produce  stronger  plants  less 
likely  to  die  off.  When  the  dung  of  a  hot-bed  has  given 
off  its  first  heat,  it  begins  to  absorb  moisture  from  the 
earth  with  which  it  is  covered.  And  as  the  earth  of  the 
bed  generally  slopes  to  the  south,  the  greater  part  of  the 
water  given  runs  off  toward  the  front,  and  at  the  back  of 
the  bed  the  earth  in  which  the  seeds  are  sown  is  often  too 
dry.  Hence  seeds  that  vegetate  slowly  and  need  constant 
damp,  as  Phlox  and  Pansy,  should  be  sown  at  the  front 
of  the  bed,  and  those  that  grow  more  readily  at  the  top 
or  back.  The  time  required  for  certain  seeds  to  germi- 
nate at  a  temperature  from  52°  to  65°  is,  according  to  M. 
Appelius:  garden  cress,  2  days;  spinach,  3;  cabbage, 
turnip,  and  lettuce,  4 ;  peas,  endive,  poppy,  melons,  cucum- 
bers, mustard,  5 ;  lupine,  lentil,  horseradish,  radish,  onions, 
(often  also  in  15  days),  leeks,  6 ;  barley,  rye,  maize,  broc- 
coli, beans,  beet,  7;  wheat,  thyme,  marjoram,  and  some 
kidney  beans,  8 ;  marrowfat  peas,  9 ;  vetch,  sugar  beet, 
tobacco,  hemp,  10 ;  tomato,  sea-kale,  scorzonera,  carrots, 
savory,  basil,  stocks,  celery,  12  (turnip  rooted  celery  some- 
times 20) ;  anise,  fennel,  13 ;  sunflower,  artichoke,  burnet, 


94  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

14;  balm,  clover,  15;  lavender,  purslane,  16;  sage,  pep- 
per, 20 ;  parsnip,  parsley,  asparagus,  21 ;  and  potato  in 
28  days.  It  seems  that  seeds  lighter  than  water  do  not 
germinate  so  soon  as  those  heavier. 

Though  seeds  will  vegetate  with  due  supplies  of  heat 
and  moisture,  a  fertile  soil  is  necessary  for  their  further 
progress.  Fine,  light,  rich  mould  favors  the  vegetation 
and  early  progress  of  most  seeds,  though  many,  after  they 
are  a  little  advanced,  flourish  best  in  strong,  heavy  loam. 
A  compost  of  peat  or  leaf-mould,  fine  sand,  and  well  rot- 
ted manure,  should  be  prepared,  and  if  all  the  finer  seeds 
are  covered  therewith,  one  great  difficulty  in  growing 
fine  vegetables  on  stiff  soils  will  be  removed,  as  well  as 
their  early  maturity  secured.  Even  in  dry  weather  one 
can  generally  bring  up  seeds  by  digging  and  finely  pulver- 
izing the  earth ;  then  soak  it  well  with  water  that  has 
been  some  time  exposed  to  the  air  to  raise  its  temperature  ; 
then  sow  the  seed  in  drills  of  the  proper  depth,  and  sift 
over  the  bed  a  coat  of  this  compost.  In  the  case  of  large 
seeds,  as  corn,  beans,  etc.,  after  the  ground  is  prepared, 
only  the  hills  or  drills  need  to  be  thus  soaked,  and  then 
covered  with  the  compost. 

Special  directions  for  managing  seeds  requiring  peculiar 
care  will  be  given  hereafter. 

Seeds  must  not  only  be  properly  managed,  but  there  is 
no  pleasure  in  growing  them  unless  of  the  right  kind,  as 
it  is  very  vexatious  to  sow  Early  Yorks  when  you  think 
you  are  sowing  Drumheads,  and  vice  versa.  The  way  to 
avoid  such  mistakes  is  either  to  raise  your  own  seed,  care- 
fully label  them,  or  to  know  of  whom  you  buy.  Your 
own  eye  in  the  case  of  many  seeds  will  not  assist  you  at 
all  in  discriminating. 

Seed  must  not  only  be  of  the  right  sort,  but  true  to  that 
sort.  Early  York  cabbage  seed  may  be  sown,  or  Scarlet 
radish  seed ;  yet,  from  having  been  planted  near  to  some 
other  varieties,  the  seed  is  crossed  with  them  and  the  most 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  95 

valuable  qualities  of  the  variety  lost.  The  cabbage  may 
be  late  or  long-legged,  and  not  head  at  all,  or  the  radish 
tough  and  misshapen. 

Preserving  Seed, — The  very  finest  plants  should  be 
chosen  for  this  purpose,  that  is,  those  most  true  to  their 
kind  and  most  perfect  in  shape  and  quality.  In  the  cab- 
bage, for  instance,  a  small,  short  stem,  well  formed  head 
with  few  loose  leaves ;  in  the  turnip,  large  bulb,  small  neck, 
few,  short  and  slender-stalked  leaves,  and  solid  flesh.  In 
the  radish,  high  color  (unless  white,)  small  neck,  few  and 
short  leaves ;  and  in  the  case  of  flowers,  seed  should  be 
saved  only  from  those  most  perfectly  developed. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  to  preserve  the  varieties  un- 
mixed, for,  as  just  stated,  if  varieties  of  the  same  species, 
or  very  similar  species,  are  planted  near  each  other,  they 
will  cross  and  produce  untrue  seed.  In  this  way,  it  is 
true,  valuable  varieties  often  originate,  but  the  chances 
are  that  the  produce  will  be  worthless.  There  can  be  no 
cross  between  a  cabbage  and  a  carrot,  because  they  are 
of  totally  different  families,  and  there  is  no  similarity ;  but 
all  the  varieties  of  cabbage  will  cross  with  each  other, 
with  Brussels  sprouts,  in  short  with  all  others  of  the  genus 
Brassica.  So  of  corn ;  in  a  few  years  the  early  varieties 
from  the  North,  planted  in  Southern  gardens,  become  so 
intermingled  with  the  ordinary  sorts,  that  the  early  char- 
acter is  lost.  The  difficulty  of  keeping  seeds  pure  renders 
it  advisable  not  to  save  seeds  of  two  varieties  of  any  spe- 
cies the  same  year,  except  in  large  gardens.  Many  kinds 
of  seed  it  is  more  advantageous  to  buy  of  the  regular 
seedsmen,  than  to  grow  and  save  them  at  home.  The 
finest  seeds  in  the  world  are  grown  where  an  amateur 
makes  one  or  two  species  of  plants,  like  Truffaut  with 
Asters,  a  specialty,  using  every  possible  care  for  their  im- 
provement. 

Crossing  and  Hybridizing. — These  terms  are  used  by 
many  as  meaning  the  same  thing ;    strictly  speaking,  Jiy- 


9G 


GARDEXIXG    FOR  THE   SOUTH. 


Fig.  39.— FLAX  FLOWER. 


bridizing  is  when  two  distinct  species  are  made  to  form  a 
union,  while  crossing  is  where  the  same  takes  place  with 
varieties  of  the  same  species.  To  make  the  matter  plain, 
we  must  give  the  structure  of  the  flower.  The  organs 

concerned  in  the  produc- 
tion of  the  fruit  or  seed 
are  the  stamens,  which 
correspond  to  the  male 
organs,  and  the  pistil  or 
pistils,  which  are  the 
female  organs.  These 
two  are  for  the  most  part 
in  one  flower,  and  differ 
greatly  in  number  in  the 
different  families.  The  simplest  case  is  where  both  kinds 
are  in  one  flower,  as  in  fig.  39,  which  represents  a  flower 
of  the  flax  split  down,  to  show  the  arrangement  of  its 
parts.  In  figure  40  all  of  the  flower  is  removed,  except 
the  stamens  and  pistil,  which  are  en- 
larged. The  central  body  is  the  pistil, 
and  is  surrounded  by  five  stamens,  which 
are  shorter.  It  will  be  seen  that  each 
stamen  is  composed  of  two  parts;  a 
slender  portion,  the  filament,  which  bears 
a  two-lobed  body,  the  anther,  which  pro- 
duces a  fine  fertilizing  powder,  the  pollen. 
The  pistil  has  an  enlarged  base,  the  ovary, 
which  contains  the  ovules,  which  are  to 
become  seeds;  above  this  is  usually  a 
prolonged  portion,  the  style.  The  styles 
may  be  one  or  several ;  in  the  case  of  the  flax  there  are 
five,  each  one  of  which  is  surmounted  by  a  stigma,  that 
part  which  receives  the  fertilizing  powder,  or  pollen. 

The  stamens  and  pistils  are  not  always  found  together 
in  the  same  flower.  In  Indian  corn  they  are  separated, 
but  on  the  same  plant  the  tassel  containing  the  stamens 


Fig.  40.— STAMENS 
AND  PISTILS. 


PROPAGATION   OF  PLANTS.  97 

or  male  organs,  while  the  silk  and  ear  are  the  pistillate 
parts;  such  plants  are  called  monoecious.  In  other  in- 
stances, as  spinach,  the  flowers  which  contain  the  stamens 
are  not  found  upon  the  same  individual  plant  with  those 
that  bear  the  pistils.  These  are  called  dioecious  plants. 

Cross  breeding,  where  both  sexes  are  united  in  the  same 
blossom,  is  accomplished  by  removing  the  stamens  and 
dusting  the  pistil  with  the  pollen  of  a  different  variety,  a 
simple  process ;  but  from  the  resulting  seed  a  new  variety, 
partaking  somewhat  of  the  qualities  of  both  parents,  will 
be  produced.  Care  is  required  in  the  process.  A  blossom 
must  be  selected  not  fully  expanded,  and  all  the  anthers 
be  cut  out  and  removed.  "Protect  the  blossom  with  a 
loose  bag  of  gauze  to  keep  off  the  bees.  As  soon  as  the 
blossom  is  fully  expanded,  collect  on  a  camel's  hair  pencil 
the  pollen  from  a  full  blown  flower  of  the  variety  selected 
for  the  male  parent,  and  apply  it  to  the  stigma  or  point 
of  the  pistil.  The  conditions  are  a  careful  extraction  of 
the  anthers  before  they  are  advanced  enough  to  fertilize 
the  pistil,  and  to  apply  the  selected  pollen  when  in  perfec- 
tion, that  is,  in  a  powdery  state,  upon  the  stigma  while 
still  moist,  and  to  prevent  natural  fertilization  from  pollen 
carried  by  insects  or  by  the  wind.  Cross  breeding  often 
takes  place  naturally.  If  different  varieties  of  corn  are 
planted  near  together,  often  three  or  four  kinds  and  colors 
of  grain  will  be  found  upon  one  ear  from  natural  inter- 
mixture. 

But  there  are  limits  to  the  power  of  crossing  plants. 
Those  between  two  varieties  of  the  same  species,  as  be- 
tween two  kinds  of  corn  or  pear,  are  common  enough,  and 
these  are  fruitful  and  produce  perfect  seeds.  In  the  same 
genera,  also,  certain  nearly  allied  species  are  capable  of 
fertilizing  each  other ;  the  offspring  in  this  case  is  called  a 
hybrid,  and  does  not  always  produce  perfect  seeds.  Thus 
the  different  species  of  the  strawberry,  also  those  of  the 
gourd  and  melon^  family,  readily  intermix.  So  also  do 
5 


98  GAKDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

those  of  the  rose.  But  no  one  has  succeeded  in  crossing 
the  apple  with  the  pear,  or  the  gooseberry  with  the  cur- 
rant, though  in  both  cases  they  are  species  of  the  same 
genus.  Still  less  will  such  totally  different  plants  as 
oranges  and  pomegranates  intermix. 

Our  flower-gardens  in  modern  times  have  been  greatly 
enriched  by  cross  breeding  and  hybridizing.  Thus  have 
originated  a  great  number  of  new  and  beautiful  roses, 
rhododendrons,  azaleas,  camellias,  fuchsias,  dahlias,  etc., 
so  beautiful  in  color  and  perfect  in  form  and  habit.  There 
is  no  doubt  of  their  great  utility  here.  Cross  breeding 
and  hybridizing,  it  is  claimed,  are  processes  equally  useful 
in 'fruit-growing;  but  it  is  certain  that  very  few  artificially 
cross-bred  fruits  are  yet  in  cultivation,  and  of  true  hybrids 
it  is  doubtful  if  there  are  any  which  are  valuable.  It  is 
certain  that  those  most  successful  in  producing  improved 
varieties  have  not  generally  resorted  to  cross  breeding. 

True  hybrids  rarely  produce  perfect  seeds,  and  those 
that  do,  revert  to  one  of  the  parents  after  a  few  genera- 
tions. From  not  being  subjected  to  this  drain  on  their 
vitality,  they  frequently  bloom  more  freely,  and  the  blos- 
soms remain  longer  in  perfection  than  those  of  plants  that 
seed  freely.  Seed-bearing  is  the  greatest  tax  upon  the 
vigor  of  a  plant  to  which  it  can  be  subjected.  Hybrid 
varieties  are  increased  and  continued  in  existence  by  prop- 
agating them  by  division. 

Propagation  oy  Division, — Every  other  mode  of  prop- 
agating plants,  except  by  seed,  whether  it  be  by  bulbs, 
tubers,  runners,  suckers,  parting  the  roots,  layers,  cuttings, 
budding  or  grafting,  is  effected  by  a  division  of  the  plant 
to  be  increased. 

Bulbs.— Propagation  by  division,  in  the  case  of  bulbs  or 
tubers,  is  analogous  to  sowing  seeds.  The  new  bulbs  may 
be  separated  when  the  leaves  of  the  mother-plant  decay. 
The  onion,  hyacinth,  tulip,  etc.,  are  generally  taken  up 


PROPAGATION   OF   PLANTS.  99 

and  stored  in  a  moderately  dry,  airy  place,  until  it  is  the 
proper  season  for  growth,  and  are  thought  to  grow  better 
in  consequence  of  their  surplus  moisture  being  evaporated. 
The  corras  or  bulbs  of  the  crocus,  thus  treated,  produce  bet- 
ter plants  and  stronger  flowers.  Removal  gives  an  oppor- 
tunity for  changing  the  soil  before  the  bulbs  are  reset. 
There  are,  however,  many  scaly  bulbs,  as  the  lily,  that  are 
injured  if  long  out  of  the  ground,  and  if  not  planted  again 
at  the  proper  season,  the  strength  of  the  plant  is  much 
diminished.  Bulbs  generally  like  a  light,  rich,  sandy  soil, 
well  pulverized,  and  most  bulbs  and  tubers  require  to  be 
planted  more  deeply  than  seeds. 

Tubers  may  be  taken  up  when  mature,  and  kept  until 
the  proper  season  for  replanting.  They  may  generally  be 
cut  into  as  many  pieces  as  they  have  eyes,  and  each  eye 
will  produce  a  plant.  The  tubers  of  the  Chinese  yam  have 
no  visible  buds,  but  if  cut  into  pieces  and  planted,  buds 
will  push  out  from  the  wrinkles  that  appear  upon  its  surface. 

Runners  are  thrown  out  by  the  strawberry  and  many 
other  plants.  They  spring  from  the  crown  of  the  plant, 
deriving  from  it  their  nourishment,  and  at  a  greater  or  less 
distance  from  the  parent  plant  throw  out  a  bud  above  and 
small  projections  or  rudiments  of  roots,  which,  in  favora- 
ble conditions,  strike  into  the  soil  and  help  to  nourish  the 
young  plant  above.  The  growing  point  of  the  runner 
extends  to  form  another  new  plant  beyond.  Runners 
cannot  well  take  root  in  dry  weather,  but  in  contact  with 
moist  soil  the  roots  soon  strike.  To  facilitate  the  rooting, 
the  joint  is  often  pegged  down,  or  a  small  stone  placed 
over  it  a  little  behind  the  bud,  which  preserves  the  earth 
in  a  moist  condition  as  well  as  keeps  the  joint  close  to  the 
soil.  If  it  is  desired  to  obtain  as  many  plants  as  possible, 
do  not  permit  the  parent-plant  to  waste  its  vigor  in  pro- 
ducing flowers  and  fruit,  but  cut  off  the  flower  stalks  as 
they  appear.  If  strong  plants  are  desired,  stop  each  run- 


100  GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

ner  after  it  has  made  one  or  two  plants.  The  new  plants, 
when  well  rooted,  are  ready  for  removal  at  the  proper 
season. 

Suckers* — These  proceed  either  from  the  root  or  from 
the  stem,  or  collar  of  the  plant.  Root  suckers  are  pro- 
duced from  those  plants  which  send  out  stray  horizontal 
roots,  as  the  sucker  is  in  fact  a  bud  from  one  of  these 
roots  which  has  pushed  its  way  through  the  soil  and  be- 
come a  stem.  As  this  stem  generally  forms  fibrous  roots 
of  its  own  above  the  point  of  junction  with  the  parent- 
root,  it  may  be  slipped  off  and  planted  like  a  rooted  cut- 
ting. 

Root  suckers  are  thrown  up  by  some  plants,  like  the 
currant,  close  to  the  main  stem ;  by  others,  like  the  plum 
and  paper  mulberry,  at  considerable  distance.  Raspber- 
ries, poplars,  roses,  lilacs,  and  many  other  shrubs  and 
trees,  are  thus  readily  propagated,  the  offspring  with  the 
roots  that  properly  belong  to  it  being  carefully  separated 
from  the  parent  and  replanted  in  suitable  soil.  The  roots 
of  the  parent-plant  should  be  injured  as  little  as  possible. 
Remove  the  soil,  and  if  the  sucker  springs  from  a  large 
root,  detach  a  slice  of  it  with  the  sucker  instead  of  sever- 
ing it.  The  supply  of  nourishment  being  diminished  by 
separation  from  the  parent-plant,  the  head  of  the  plant  re- 
moved must  be  cut  in,  except  in  the  case  of  coniferous 
plants,  to  prevent  evaporation. 

The  great  objection  to  planting  suckers  is,  that  plants 
grown  from  them  have  a  much  greater  tendency  to  throw 
out  suckers,  and  thereby  become  exceedingly  annoying  in 
gardens,  by  encroaching  on  other  plants,  than  if  propagat- 
ed by  other  methods. 

Stem  Suckers  spring  from  the  stem  of  the  old  plant 
where  its  base  is  beneath  the  surface.  Shoots  originating 
at  this  point  frequently  strike  root  and  become  rooted 
suckers.  In  plants  in  which  this  natural  tendency  is  not 


PROPAGATION   OF  PLANTS.  101 

sufficiently  strong,  it  may  be  increased  by  earthing  them 
up  well  with  good  mould,  which  may  be  kept  moist  by 
mulching.  The  quince  and  other  plants  are  propagated 
in  this  manner. 

Propagation  by  Slips. — This  is  the  mode  in  which  many 
small  undershrubs,  like  box,  sage,  rue  and  lavender,  are  in- 
creased. They  are  dug  up  in  spring  or  fall,  and  the  young 
shoots,  with  some  portion  of  root  attached,  slipped  off 
with  the  thumb  and  finger,  and  if  small,  they  are  planted 
a  year  in  nursery  rows.  Many  kinds  of  plants  grow  from 
slips  of  the  young  branches  with  little  or  no  root  attached. 
The  number  of  young  plants  to  be  obtained  by  division 
can  be  increased  in  some  cases  by  sprinkling  fine  soil 
among  them  that  the  lower  branches  may  strike  root  in 
it,  or  taking  up  the  plant  and  resetting  deeper  than  before. 
Box  edging  when  overgrown,  if  taken  up  in  spring,  partly 
divided  and  replanted  so  that  the  base  of  each  shoot  is 
covered,  can,  after  rooting,  again  be  divided  into  as  many 
plants  as  there  were  shoots.  Stem  suckers  are  often  called 
slips. 

Parting  the  Roots  is  the  ordinary  way  of  increasing 
herbaceous  perennials  with  annual  stems,  such  as  phloxes, 
chrysanthemums,  etc.,  which  can  be  taken  up  in  spring  or 
autumn,  and  divided  by  hand,  or  with  the  trowel,  knife  or 
spade,  into  a  number  of  plants  with  a  portion  of  root  to 
each. 

Propagation  by  Layers. — A  layer  is  a  branch  or  shoot 
bent  down  into,  and  covered  with,  the  soil,  in  order  to 
make  it  take  root.  Meanwhile  it  is  fed  by  the  parent 
stock  with  which  its  communication  is,  however,  partially 
obstructed  to  make  the  returning  sap  form  roots,  instead 
of  going  back  into  the  stock.  "With  some  plants  a  suf- 
ficient check  is  given  by  simply  bending  and  properly 
covering  it  with  earth ;  the  branch  is  held  in  its  place 
by  hooked  pegs  until  it  takes  root.  But  in  general  this  is 


102  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

not  enough.  The  most  common  way  of  obstructing  the 
return  flow  of  sap  is  when  the  shoot  is  bent  into  the  earth 
to  half  cut  it  through  near  the  bend,  the  free  portion  of 
the  wound  being  'called  a  tongue.  This  is  kept  open 
by  a  bit  of  twig,  or  piece  of  crock.  Such  layers  are  in 
fact  cuttings,  only  partially  separated  from  parent-plants. 
The  incision  is  made  through  the  bark  at  the  base  of  a 
bud.  The  object  of  the  gardener  is  to  induce  the  layer 
to  emit  roots  into  the  earth  at  the  tongue.  There  are 
other  modes  of  effecting  this. 

With  this  view,  he  twists  the  shoot  half  round,  so  as  to 
injure  the  wood  vessels ;  he  heads  it  back  so  that  only  a 
bud  or  two  appears  above  ground,  and  when  much  water- 
ing is  required,  he  places  a  handful  of  silver  sand  around 
the  tongued  part,  then  pressing  the  earth  down  with  his 
foot,  so  as  to  secure  the  layer,  he  leaves  it  without  further 
care.  The  intention  of  both  tongueing  and  twisting  is  to 
prevent  the  return  of  the  sap  from  the  layer  into  the  main 
stem,  while  a  small  portion  is  allowed  to  rise  out  of  the 
latter  into  the  former.  The  effect  of  this  operation  is  to 
compel  the  returning  sap  to  organize  itself  as  roots,  in- 
stead of  passing  downwards  to  form  wood ;  the  bending 
back  is  to  assist  this  object,  by  preventing  the  expenditure 
of  sap  in  the  completion  of  leaves.  The  bud  left  on  the 
tongue  favors  the  emission  of  roots,  as  a  tendency  exists  in 
nearly  all  plants  to  throw  out  roots  at  the  joints,  and  the 
silver  sand  secures  the  drainage  so  necessary  to  cuttings. 

The  old  mode  of  forming  the  tongue,  and  the  best,  un- 
less the  shoot  is  brittle,  is  shown  in  the  figure,  where 
the  tongue  is  shown  upon  the  underside  of  the  layer. 
"  A  plan,"  says  the  Gardener's  Monthly,  "  which  is  now 
much  in  vogue  with  the  best  propagators,  is  to  cut  the 
tongue  on  the  upper  surface.  On  bending  down  into  the 
soil,  the  tongue  is  then  twisted  on  one  side,  and  the  young 
shoot  intended  to  form  the  future  plant  may  then  be  lifted 
up  and  bent  towards  the  parent  as  rapidly  as  one  pleases, 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  103 

without  any  danger  of  it  snapping  off.  There  is  another 
advantage  in  this  way  of  layering.  It  is  often  necessary, 
in  the  stereotyped  way,  to  place  a  chip  or  something  be- 
tween the  tongue  to  keep  it  open.  By  this,  the  twisting 
of  the  tongue  aside  keeps  it  always  separate  from  the  old 
cut.  Again,  by  this  mode,  very  green  shoots  can  be  oper- 
ated on, — magnolias,  for  instance,  in  June,  and  plants  be 
got  well  rooted  by  fall,  instead  of  waiting  for  the  wood  to 
ripen  in  August,  when  we  have  to  wait  for  another  year 


Fig.  41.— LAYERING. 

before  our  layer  is  sufficiently  rooted  to  take  from  its 
parent.  Another  method  of  forming  the  tongue  is  to 
make  the  cut  upon  the  side,  as  in  figure  41. 

Instead  of  forming  a  tongue  to  make  a  shoot  throw  out 
roots,  the  branch  may  be  split  in  the  centre  for  two  inch- 
es, more  or  less  according  to  its  size,  and  the  parts  sepa- 
rated with  a  bit  of  wood.  Roots  will  be  thrown  out 
along  the  edges  of  the  split.  The  returning  sap  may  also 
be  arrested  by  ringing;  in  which  case  a  ring  of  bark  is 
removed  from  the  branch  for  the  purpose,  or  by  a  wire 
twisted  tightly  around  it  pinching  the  bark. 

When  the  roots  are  thrown  out  naturally  wherever 
a  joint  touches  the  earth,  as  in  the  verbena,  the  branches 
only  require  pegging  down  to  make  them  form  new  plants. 


104  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

Where  it  is  difficult  to  get  the  shoot  to  be  layered  down 
to  the  soil,  a  portion  of  the  soil  may  be  raised  to  the  plant, 
as  the  Chinese  gardeners  practice  in  a  pot,  the  earth  in 
which  should  be  kept  steadily  moist. 

Another  mocte  of  layering  is  by  insertion  of  the  grow- 
ing point  in  the  soil.  When  the  shoots  of  a  raspberry  or 
gooseberry  are  of  some  length  and  firmness,  if  the  grow- 
ing points  are  inserted  in  well-dug  soil,  they  will  form  a 
nice  bundle  of  roots  and  a  good  bud  ready  for  transplant- 
ing in  autumn.  This  is  worthy  of  trial  with  many  other 
plants. 

The  grape  is  best  layered  by  digging  a  trench  and  lay- 
ing therein  a  thrifty  cane  in  the  spring ;  let  remain  until 
young  shoots,  three  or  four  inches  long,  are  formed ;  then 
gently  draw  a  little  of  the  soil  into  the  trench  covering 
the  parent-cane,  and  as  the  shoots  increase  in  strength, 
fill  up  the  trench,  and  each  young  shoot  will  make  a  fine 
plant  by  autumn. 

In  general,  the  best  season  for  layering  is  before  the  sap 
begins  to  rise  in  the  spring,  or  from  the  last  of  June,  dur- 
ing summer  on  wood  of  the  same  season's  growth.  A 
good  time  for  roses  is  after  the  first  bloom  is  over.  Lay- 
ered at  this  time,  they  will  generally  be  fit  to  take  up  the 
ensuing  winter,  but  most  plants  require  twelve  months, 
and  some  two  years,  before  they  will  root.  In  nurseries 
the  ground  is  prepared  around  each  stool  by  digging  and 
manuring,  and  the  branches  laid  down  neatly,  so  as  to 
form  a  circle  of  rays  around  the  stool,  with  the  ends  ris- 
ing all  around  the  circle  to  about  the  same  height. 

CllttingSt — A  cutting  is  a  part  of  a  plant  detached  from 
the  parent-stock,  which,  placed  in  proper  conditions,  will 
emit  roots  and  become  in  its  turn  a  new  plant.  It  may  be 
a  portion  of  the  stem,  the  branches,  or  the  root,  and  some- 
times even  a  leaf. 

In  a  cutting,  as  in  a  growing  plant,  two  forces  are  in 
constant  activity,  those  of  absorption  and  of  evaporation. 


PROPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  105 

Its  life  cannot  be  long  continued,  unless  these  correspond 
with  each  other.  A  cutting,  from  the  lack  of  roots,  absorbs 
feebly  from  the  soil ;  hence  evaporation  must  be  diminished 
to  correspond,  and  the  base  of  the  cutting  must  be  in  con- 
tact with  a  substance  more  or  less  humid.  Evaporation 
is  diminished  by  planting  in  a  northern  exposure,  shading, 
the  use  of  bell-glasses,  etc.  The  more  herbaceous  or  im- 
mature a  cutting  may  be,  the  greater  care  is  required  to 
protect  it  from  excessive  evaporation. 

Cuttings  of  hardy  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs  should 
be  taken  off  after  the  leaves  fall,  or  before  the  sap  rises  in 
the  spring.  Those  that  strike  readily  in  the  open  ground 
in  mild  climates  may  be  planted  out  to  form  the  callus, 
and  be  ready  to  enter  into  growth  with  the  opening  spring. 
In  more  northern  climates  they  may  be  prepared  for  plant- 
ing, and  stored  in  moistened  moss  or  damp  earth,  and 
kept  from  frost.  The  callus  will  be  forming,  and  they 
will  be  ready  to  plant  in  early  spring.  GeneraUy,  cuttings 
should  not  be  taken  when  the  sap  is  in  full  flow,  as  moist- 
ure is  then  rapidly  evaporated  and  the  cutting  exhausted 
before  roots  are  formed.  They  should  be  taken  when  the 
plant  is  dormant,  or  when  a  new  shoot  has  been  made 
with  leaves  so  fully  formed  and  matured  as  to  be  in  the 
act  of  forming  abundance  of  woody  tissue. 

In  selecting  cuttings,  they  should  come  from  healthy 
plants,  from  shoots  of  average  strength,  well  nourished, 
but  not  over  vigorous,  as  the  latter  are  more  quickly  ex- 
hausted when  deprived  of  their  usual  supply  of  nourish- 
ment. Horizontal  branches  growing  near  the  ground, 
especially  those  which  recline  upon  it,  have  a  greater  ten- 
dency to  throw  out  roots.  Upright  shoots  from  near  the 
summit  are  generally,  but  not  always,  less  likely  to  suc- 
ceed. The  willow  and  poplar  strike  freely  from  old  wood, 
and  trunks  of  considerable  size,  if  planted,  will  emit 
roots,  but  of  most  trees  the  best  plants  are  made  from 
well  matured  shoots  of  the  current  year's  growth.  In  the 
5* 


106  GAKDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

case  of  hard-wooded  plants  that  are  hard  to  strike,  it  is  a 
nice  matter  to  select  a  portion  of  shoot  in  which  the  wood 
is  neither  too  old  and  hard,  from  which  roots  will  not  be 
readily  emitted,  or  too  young  and  soft,  as  in  this  case  they 
will  damp  off.  Rose  cuttings  strike  most  readily  when 
not  quite  fully  matured.  The  proper  state  of  firmness  dif- 
fers in  different  species.  The  age  at  which  a  cutting  of 
any  species  will  strike  best  or  strike  at  all,  is  determined 
by  experiment,  but  when  once  ascertained,  it  is  invariably 
the  same.  The  proper  age  of  an  untried  species  may  be 
proximately  determined  from  that  of  the  most  closely  re- 
lated species  in  which  it  is  known,  and  will  often  prove 
to  be  right  if  the  species  are  nearly  allied. 

Some  cuttings  require  little  preparation.  A  willow  may 
be  sharpened  and  driven  into  the  soil  and  will  take  root, 
and  in  some  instances  has  done  so,  if  planted  bottom  up- 
wards. Currants  and  gooseberries,  cut  into  suitable 
lengths,  will  emit  roots  not  only  from  the  callus,  but  from 
any  part  beneath  the  soil.  Of  these,  as  of  cuttings  of  all 
deciduous  trees,  the  buds  on  the  part  of  the  cutting  be- 
neath the  soil  must  be  removed  before  planting,  or  they 
will  push  and  become  shoots.  Cuttings  of  which  the 
leaves  have  fully  performed  their  office,  and  the  wood  is 
ripened  early  in  the  season,  if  made  and  planted  out  in 
warm,  moist  soil,  will  form  roots  before  winter,  and  be 
ready  to  push  into  vigorous  growth  in  spring.  Such  cut- 
tings, planted  in  August  or  early  in  September,  are  nearly 
a  year  in  advance  of  spring-planted  cuttings. 

Cuttings  of  plants,  difficult  to  strike,  may  have  a  ring 
of  Jbark  taken  out  just  beneath  a  joint,  at  mid-summer, 
which  will  cause  a  swelling  of  the  branch  above  the  ring. 
The  branch  is  cut  off  in  autumn  at  the  base  of  the  swell- 
ing, the  top  shortened,  and  it  is  planted  as  a  cutting,  or 
it  is  buried  in  the  soil  for  the  swelling  to  soften,  and  plant- 
ed early  in  the  spring.  With  plants  that  are  not  very  free 
to  strike,  it  is  from  the  joints  only  that  roots  can  be  ex- 


PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS. 


107 


pected  to  grow ;  hence,  in  making  cuttings,  the  shoot  is 
divided  just  below  a  joint,  and  it  is  considered  best  to 
choose  a  joint  between  the  young  wood  and  that  of  the 
previous  season.  The  cut  should  be  quite  smooth,  for  if 
the  shoot  be  bruised,  the  returning  sap  will  not  be  able  to 
reach  the  wound  in  sufficient  quantity  to  make  it  heal  over 
and  form  the  callus  quickly,  and  the  cutting  will  be  likely 
to  fail.  When  the  callus  is  properly  formed,  there  is  lit- 
tle difficulty  in  striking  cuttings.  To  form  the  callus,  they 
may  be  mixed  with  damp  sphagnum  moss,  or  old  tan,  and 

kept  in  a  dark  cellar  until 
about  to  push  roots.  Cuttings 
may  be  placed  loosely  in  a 
common  preserving  bottle, 
with  a  wet  sponge,  the  water 
drained  out,  and  the  bottle 
stopped  with  a  cork,  which  has 
a  half-inch  hole  in  the  top  to 
admit  air.  This  may  be  kept 
where  the  atmosphere  ranges 
from  temperate  to  summer 
heat,  and  the  callus  will  form 
very  quickly. 

Preparation. — The  way  to 
prepare  cuttings  for  planting 
is  best  shown  by  an  illustration.  Figure  42,  A,  shows  a 
cutting  formed  from  a  lateral  shoot,  and  has  been  cut  off 
from  the  main  branch  with  a  heel  attached.  Such  cuttings 
are  sometimes  torn  out  and  the  bottom  smoothed  with  a 
sharp  knife,  and  present  a  larger  surface  for  the  absorp- 
tion of  moisture.  At  B  is  a  deciduous,  woody  cutting, 
as  commonly  prepared.  At  C -is  shown  a  mode  in 
which  grape  cuttings  are  sometimes  prepared ;  the  two 
extremities  of  the  fragment  of  branch  at  the  base  are 
furnished  with  buds.  This  is  a  mode  which  greatly 
favors  the  emission  of  roots.  Figure  43  is  a  cutting 


Fig.  42.— DIFFERENT  FORMS  OF 
CUTTINGS. 


108 


GARDENING   FOB   THE    SOUTH. 


of  a  geranium  ready  for  insertion  in  the  soil.  In  this 
case  the  lower  leaves  have  been  removed ;  they  should  be 
clipped  but  very  little  farther  from  the  base  than  where 
the  cutting  is  to  be  inserted  in  the 
soil.  The  leaves  being  kept  near 
the  moist  surface,  do  not  evaporate 
as  rapidly  as  when  elevated  much 
above.  The  petiole  (or  leaf  stalk) 
should  be  cut  off  as  close  to  the 
stem  as  can  be  done  without  injury 
to  the  bark.  If  much  of  it  is  left 
and  buried,  in  the  soil',  it  is  apt  to 
rot  and  produce  decay  in  the  cut- 
ting itself.  If  an  old  leaf  or  two 
is  left,  it  will  elaborate  more  sap 
for  the  formation  of  new  roots  than  the  very  young  ones. 
Cuttings  of  succulent  plants,  like  the  cacti,  geranium,  etc., 
require  to  dry  a  little  that  the  wound  may  heal  over  be- 
fore inserting  in  the  soil. 

The  grape  is  often   propagated  from  a  single  eye — a 


Fig.  43. — GERANIUM  CUT 
TING. 


Fig.  44. — THREE  FORMS  OF  GRAPE  CUTTINGS. 

mode  now  very  much  in  use  for  new  varieties.     These 
cuttings,  shaped  in  one  of  the  forms  shown  in  fig.  44,  are 


PKOPAGATION    OF   PLANTS.  109 

planted  in  small  pots  under  glass,  the  surface  kept  damp, 
and  bottom  heat  applied.  They  soon  take,  and  form  the 
best  vines. 

The  substances  in  which  cuttings  are  struck  are  various. 
Many  plants,  as  crysanthemums,  currants,  etc.,  will  root 
in  common  garden  soil.  Powdered  charcoal,  brick  dust, 
and  even  pure  water  are  employed,  but  the  most  useful 
substance  is  pure  silver  sand,  white,  clean,  and  fine.  Sea 
sand  must  not  be  used,  unless  all  saline  matter  is  washed 
out.  Sand  contains  little  food  for  plants,  and  they  need 
little  until  the  roots  are  formed,  but  it  is  free  from  matters 
which  induce  decay.  It  is  porous  and  gives  ready  pas- 
sage for  the  young  rootlets,  and,  being  fine,  retains  moist- 
ure by  capillary  attraction. 

Some  plants  will  strike  roots  if  the  ends  of  the  cuttings 
are  kept  in  water  of  the  proper  temperature.  Bottles, 
vials,  and  jars,  are  used  to  hold  the  water,  but  as  light  is 
rather  an  obstacle  to  the  ready  formation  of  roots,  if  the 
vessel  is  transparent,  it  should  be  shaded.  As  soon  as  the 
roots  begin  to  appear,  the  cuttings  should  be  taken  from 
the  water  and  planted  in  fine  soil,  which  must  be  kept 
moist,  and  the  plants  carefully  shaded  until  they  take 
fresh  root. 

Insertion. — Cuttings  of  hardy  plants  that  strike  readily 
in  the  open  air  are  sometimes  inserted  with  a  dibble,  but 
it  is  better  to  cut  off  by  a  line  a  straight  edge  in  the  dug 
soil,  and  place  the  prepared  cuttings  against  it ;  press  the 
soil  closely  around  them.  These  are  usually  set  perpendic- 
ularly. If  the  cuttings  are  long,  they  can  be  set  in  a  slop- 
ing direction  so  as  to  be  within  reach  of  atmospheric  in- 
fluences. If  not  herbaceous,  they  should  be  inserted  so 
deep  that  but  two  buds  will  be  above  the  surface,  and  in 
the  vine  but  one.  Herbaceous  cuttings  are  inserted  lesa 
deeply. 

When  small  cuttings  are  planted  under  glass,  a  pointed 
stick  of  proper  size  is  used.  Many  kinds  may  be  planted 


110  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

all  over  the  surface  of  the  pot,  but  most  do  better  when 
inserted  near  the  sides  or  bottom  of  the  pot,  and  take  root 
more  readily.  The  soil  in  all  cases  about  a  cutting  must 
be  closely  pressed  against  its  extremity,  or  it  will  never 
strike  root. 

Temperature. — Many  cuttings  that  rarely  strike  root  in 
the  open  ground  do  so  freely  when  moist  bottom  heat  is 
applied.  When  the  soil  is  but  slightly  warmer  than  the 
air,  the  roots  grow  in  proportion  to  the  top,  but  if  the 
soil  is  constantly  warmer,  the  disposition  to  produce  roots 
will  be  greater  than  to  produce  tops.  In  striking  cuttings, 
the  object  is  to  produce  roots,  and  then  leaves  will  follow ; 
hence  the  temperature  of  the  soil  should  be  somewhat 
higher  than  that  in  which  the  species  naturally  commences 
growth,  in  order  to  secure  good  roots,  without  which 
there  can  be  no  vigorous  leaf-buds.  This  stimulus  should 
be  applied  to  soft-wooded  plants  almost  immediately ;  oth- 
ers may  require  some  delay  until  the  callus  is  formed.  De- 
ciduous shrubs  in  a  dormant  state  should  at  first  be  placed 
in  a  temperature  very  little  higher  than  would  excite  and 
swell  their  buds  on  the  parent  tree.  Increase  the  bottom 
heat  gradually,  keeping  the  soil  warmer  than  the  atmos- 
phere. From  50°  to  60°  is  about  right  for  the  soil  at  this 
period,  and  about  50°  for  the  atmosphere  for  hardy  and 
green-house  plants,  increasing  the  bottom  heat  to  65°  or 
70°  very  gradually,  when  the  roots  commence  growth,  and 
care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  its  falling  lower  until  root- 
ed, when  it  may  gradually  be  lessened  until  but  little 
above  that  of  the  air  of  the  place  in  which  they  are  grow- 
ing. 

Moisture. — The  cutting,  while  rooting,  must  be  kept  in 
a  suitable  state  of  moisture.  In  vine  cuttings,  and  oth- 
ers, nearly  covered  with  soil,  all  that  is  required  is  to  keep 
that  in  such  an  equable  state  of  moisture  that  the  cutting 
can  have  as  much  as  it  can  appropriate,  and  no  more.  A 


PROPAGATION   OP   PLANTS.  Ill 

cutting  requires  more  moisture  in  the  soil  than  if  it  were 
a  rooted  plant. 

To  recapitulate ;  the  principal  points  to  be  attended  to 
in  making  cuttings  are  to  cut  off  the  shoot  at  a  joint,  with- 
out harming  the  stem ;  to  select  shoots  with  well  matured 
buds ;  to  fix  the  end  which  is  to  send  out  roots  firmly 
in  the  soil ;  to  keep  up  an  equable  degree  of  heat  and 
moisture;  to  cut  off  part  of  the  leaves  and  shade  the 
whole,  to  prevent  evaporation,  without  too  much  excluding 
light,  of  which  a  portion  is  needed  to  stimulate  the  cut- 
ting into  growth;  to  keep  the  soil  moist  but  not  too 
damp.  It  is  well  to  transplant  them  into  small  pots, 
supplied  with  water  regularly  and  moderately  as  soon  as 
they  begin  to  grow.  Cuttings  of  slow-growing  plants  are 
those  most  liable  to  fail.  An  excess  of  heat,  cold  air, 
water,  and  light,  are  all  injurious  to  tender  cuttings 

Pipings* — Cuttings  of  plants  with  tubular  stems,  like 
the  pink,  are  called  pipings.  The  upper  part  of  a  shoot, 
when  nearly  done  growing,  is  pulled  out  of  the  socket 
close  above  a  joint,  leaving  the  part  pulled  out  with  a  pipe 
like  termination.  These  pipings  usually  have  their  leaves 
or  "  grass  "  trimmed  a  little,  and  are  struck  in  sand  about 
an  inch  apart,  with  a  bell-glass  closely  fixed  over  them. 
If  well  watered  at  first,  they  will  not  require  it  again  for 
some  time.  They  are  planted  about  f  of  an  inch  deep, 
and  treated  like  other  herbaceous  cuttings.  Under  a  north 
wall  they  succeed  finely. 

Root  Cuttings. — Many  shrubs  and  plants  are  in  this 
way  most  easily  increased.  Pyrus  Japonica,  blackberry, 
rose,  apple,  pear,  quince,  elm,  mulberry,  osage  orange, 
etc.,  if  their  roots  are  cut  in  pieces  some  three  to  nine 
inches  long,  and  planted  vertically  with  the  end  nearest 
the  stem  up,  and  covered  slightly  with  earth,  will  soon 
form  buds  and  throw  up  shoots.  Many  herbaceous  plants, 
as  sea  kale,  horseradish,  Japan  anemone,  etc.,  are  thus  in- 


GARDENING   FOK   THE   SOUTH. 

creased.     Of  these  the  cuttings  are  made  short,  and,  except 
the  second  named,  planted  horizontally. 


CHAPTER    X. 

BUDDING    AND    GRAFTING. 

Budding  is  the  art  of  making  a  bud  unite  to  the  stem 
or  branch  of  another  tree  independently  of  its  parent.  It 
is  a  cutting  with  a  single  eye  inserted  in  another  tree 
called  a  stock,  instead  of  in  the  ground.  The  operation 
may  be  performed  at  any  time  after  the  buds  of  the  new 
wood  are  sufficiently  matured.  These  must  be  perfectly 
developed,  which  is  seldom  the  case  until  the  shoot  has 
temporarily  ceased  to  lengthen,  which  is  indicated  by  the 
perfect  formation  of  the  terminal  bud.  If  the  buds  are 
desired  very  early,  their  maturity  may  be  hastened  by 
pinching  the  tops  of  the  shoots. 

The  ordinary  time  for  budding,  north  of  Virginia,  is 
from  the  middle  of  July  to  the  middle  of  September,  and 
the  buds  in  general  remain  dormant  until  spring.  Roses 
are,  however,  budded  earlier,  and  allowed  to  make  some 
growth.  In  the  South,  buds  are  inserted  at  any  time 
when  the  bark  will  rise,  from  June  to  October.  Those 
put  in  early  will  make  a  fine  growth  before  autumn,  in 
favorable  seasons.  A  very  necessary  condition  to  success- 
ful budding  is  that  the  bark  rise  freely  from  the  stock,  and 
this  must  be  in  a  thrifty,  growing  state,  as  when  pushing 
into  new  growth  a  day  or  too  after  a  fine  rain.  If  the 
weather  is  too  cold  or  the  soil  too  dry,  the  bark  will  not 
rise.  Such  trees  as  make  most  of  their  growth  early  in  the 
season  must  be  budded  before  they  cease  to  grow.  Young 
shoots,  when  the  buds  are  in  a  proper  state,  are  cut  below 


BUDDING   AND    GRAFTING. 


113 


the  lowest  plump  bud.  If  to  be  budded  immediately,  all 
the  leaf  is  cut  off,  except  the  leaf  stem,  which  is  left  for 
convenience  of  inserting,  and  in  order  to  attract  the  sap 
into  the  buds.  If  the  buds  are  to  be  preserved  any  time, 
the  whole  leaf  with  half  of  the  leaf  stem  is  removed  to 
prevent  evaporation.  If  this  is  done  as  soon  as  they  are 
cut,  they  may  be  preserved  several  days  in  a  closely  cov- 
ered tin  box,  or  tightly  corked 
preserve  jar,  if  in  a  cool  place, 
and  indeed,  if  the  wood  is  well 
ripened,  though  the  footstalk  of 
the  leaf  will  drop,  the  bud  will  be 
in  perfect  condition  some  weeks. 
No  water  need  be  given  if  there 
are  several  cuttings  in  the  box,  as 
the  air  becomes  sufficiently  satu- 
rated with  moisture  from  the  cut- 
tings themselves. 

The  strings  used  for  tying  are 
taken  from  bass-mats,  which 
should  be  wetted  before  use,  until 
perfectly  pliable.  Better  strings 
are  made  of  white  woollen  yarn, 
as  they  are  more  elastic,  and 
the  color  reflects  the  heat.  The 
pruning  and  budding  knives  are  the  only  implements  re- 
quired for  the  operation.  The  condition  of  the  budding 
knife  is  of  importance  to  success.  It  should  be  made  thin, 
and  the  edge  kept  perfectly  smooth  and  keen.  It  is  fig- 
ured in  the  chapter  upon  tools.  The  mode  in  which  bud- 
ding is  performed  is  shown  in  figure  45. 

Having  the  implements,  stocks,  and  buds  in  the  proper 
condition,  take  the  shoot  in  the  left  hand,  and  the  bud- 
ding knife  in  the  right.  Insert  the  edge  of  the  knife  in 
the  shoot,  half  an  inch  above  the  bud  to  be  taken  off. 
The  bud  is  taken  off  with  a  drawing  cut,  parallel  with  the 


Fi£.  45. — BUDDING. 


114  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

shoot,  removing  the  bark  and  the  bud  attached,  with  a 
slight  portion  of  the  wood  beneath  the  bud,  half  an  inch 
above,  and  three-fourths  of  an  inch  below.  The  English 
remove  this  slight  portion  of  the  wood,  taking  great  care 
not  to  injure  the  root  of  the  bud;  but  it  does  not  succeed 
so  well  in  this  climate  as  if  a  small  portion  of  wood  be 
left  directly  under  the  bud.  Select,  then,  a  small  portion 
of  the  stock,  smooth  and  free  from  branches,  and  make 
two  cuts  through  the  bark,  one  across  the  end  of  the 
other,  in  the  shape  of  a  T,  as  in  the  figure.  Then  raise 
the  bark  on  the  two  edges  of  the  perpendicular  cut  with 
the  smooth  ivory  haft  of  the  budding  knife ;  insert  the 
bud  gently  beneath*  the  parts  raised,  not  forcing  it  down 
like  a  wedge  so  as  to  rub  off  the  cambium  of  the  stock, 
but  pressing  very  little  against  the  stock  until  so  fully  in- 
serted that  its  own  cambium  can  be  applied  directly  to 
that  of  the  stock  where  it  is  to  remain ;  cut  off  the  top 
of  the  bark  attached  to  the  bud  square,  that  it  may  fit  the 
cut  across  the  stock ;  then  wind  the  bass  pretty  tightly 
about  the  stock,  commencing  below  the  end  of  the  bud, 
and  pass  it  closely  around  up  to  the  bud.  The  shield 
should  here  be  firmly  pressed,  that  the  base  of  the  bud  may 
closely  rest  upon  the  alburnum ;  bring  the  tie  pretty  close 
to  the  under  side  of  the  bud,  making  the  next  turn  wider, 
so  that  the  point  of  the  bud  and  the  leaf  stalk  may  be 
seen  between  the  turns  of  the  tie ;  continue  binding  closely 
until  the  cross  incision  is  covered,  then  fasten  with  a  knot. 
Cove.r  every  part  of  the  incision,  except  the  bud  and  leaf 
stalk  attached,  which  should  remain  uncovered.  Do  not 
tie  it  so  tightly  as  to  cut  into  the  bark,  but  so  as  to  exert 
upon  it  a  moderate  pressure.  The  bud  is  put  upon  the 
north  side  of  the  stock,  when  practicable,  and  when  not, 
a  little  paper  cap  may  be  tied  to  the  stock,  to  project  over 
the  bud,  so  as  to  admit  the  light,  but  exclude  the  direct 
rays  of  the  sun.  The  success  of  the  operation  depends 
on  its  being  performed  rapidly,  and  with  fresh,  healthy 


BUDDING  AND   GRAFTING.  115 

buds ;  clean,  smooth  cuts ;  the  bark  rising  cleanly  and 
freely  from  the  wood;  the  exact  fit  of  the  bud  to  the  in- 
cision ;  and  close,  secure  tying,  to  exclude  the  air  and  wa- 
ter. If  the  operation  is  performed  in  moist  weather,  and 
the  bark  of  the  bud  is  joined  closely  to  the  wood  of  the 
stock,  success  is  almost  certain.  If  the  stocks  are  in  a 
proper  state,  the  upper  edges  only  of  the  slit  need  be  raised 
with  the  haft,  and  the  bud  being  gently  pushed  to  its 
place,  will  raise  the  bark  smoothly  before  it,  and  the  inser- 
tion be  more  firm  than  if  the  bark  had  been  entirely  raised 
with  the  haft.  It  is  an  operation  requiring  much  exactness, 
but  may  be  done  in  one  minute ;  the  point  where  a  beginner 
will  most  likely  fail  is  in  the  proper  removal  of  the  bud. 

As  soon  as  the  bud  has  taken,  the  ligature  may  be  loos- 
ened, and  should  be  entirely  removed  when  it  begins  to 
cut  into  the  bark.  If  the  leaf  stalk,  after  a  few  days,  drops 
off,  it  indicates  the  bud  has  taken ;  if  it  withers  or  adheres, 
the  bud  is  likely  to  be  dead  or  dying.  The  buds  must  be 
frequently  examined,  and  the  ties  loosened,  if  becoming  too 
tight,  as  they  will  in  growing  stocks.  If  it  is  desired  to 
start  the  bud  into  immediate  growth,  soon  after  it  has 
evidently  taken,  the  stock  may  be  shortened  to  within 
ten  or  twelve  inches  of  the  bud,  and  all  shoots  rubbed 
off  as  they  appear,  except  that  from  the  inserted  bud. 
When  this  has  grown  three  or  four  inches,  the  stock  is  cut 
off  again  near  the  budded  shoot,  and  when  this  has  grown 
some  inches,  the  stock  is  cut  off  close  to  its  base.  When 
it  is  desired  that  the  bud  should  remain  dormant,  cutting 
back  the  stock  is  delayed  until  just  before  the  flow  of  sap 
starts  in  spring.  Buds  that  are  not  permitted  to  push 
until  spring  soon  overtake  the  others  in  growth. 

Budding  is  the  most  rapid  mode  of  increasing  rare  va- 
rieties, of  which  every  bud  is  almost  sure  to  make  a  good 
plant  if  the  operation  is  quickly  and  skillfully  performed. 
It  is  the  easiest  method  of  propagating  apples,  pears,  and 
most  other  fruit  trees.  In  the  case  of  peaches  it  is  almost 


116  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

universally  applied,  and  also  with  those  roses  that  will  not 
succeed  readily  from  cuttings.  Budding  and  grafting  can 
be  performed  only  upon  plants  of  the  same,  or  nearly  re- 
lated, species.  Thus  a  peach  can  be  budded  on  a  plum,  as 
they  are  both  stone  fruits,  and  belong  to  the  same  natural 
group  of  plants,  but  no  art  could  make  the  peach  flourish 
on  the  apple  or  pear  as  a  stock. 

Grafting. — This  differs  from  budding  in  its  being  the 
transfer  of  a  shoot,  with  several  buds  upon  it,  from  one 
tree  to  another,  instead  of  merely  employing  a  single  bud. 
It  is  performed  by  bringing  portions  of  two  growing  shoots 
together,  so  that  the  soft  wood  of  the  two  may  unite  to- 
gether. The  shoot  to  be  transferred  is  called  the  scion, 
and  the  tree  which  is  to  receive  it  is  called  the  stock.  The 
stocks  are  of  all  ages  and  sizes,  but  they  must  be  sound 
and  healthy.  The  scions  employed  are  generally  shoots 
of  the  preceding  year's  growth,  which  may  be  cut  at  any 
time  after  the  leaves  fall,  and  may  be  buried  in  a  dry  soil, 
with  the  upper  extremities  slightly  projecting  on  the  north 
of  a  wall.  They  must  be  protected  from  heavy  rains,  or 
the  buds  will  start  too  early.  Amateurs  can  best  keep  all 
they  wish  in  a  corked  preserve  jar,  or  a  tin  box,  or  closely 
covered  bucket.  Examine  them  occasionally,  and  if  too 
much  moisture  is  present,  leave  the  cover  off  a  few  hours. 
The  drier  the  better,  if  they  do  not  begin  to  ehrivel 
Keep  in  a  cool  place. 

Scions  of  healthy,  close-jointed  wood  should  always  be 
chosen.  If  they  are  to  be  sent  to  a  distance,  those  of 
rather  large  size  and  close  joints  should  be  selected,  en- 
veloped in  a  little  thin  paper  slightly  dampened,  and  the 
whole  covered  tightly  with  oiled  silk.  In  this  way,  they 
will  go  a  thousand  miles  in  perfect  safety.  The  but  and 
extremities  of  scions  should  both  be  rejected.  The  tools 
required  are,  a  grafting-knife,  saw,  and  chisel ;  but,  for 
whip-grafting,  the  knife  only  is  employed.  Two  kinds 


BUDDING   AND    GRAFTING.  117 

should  be  used,  one  to  prune  and  pare  the  stock,  and  the 
other  to  prepare  the  graft. 

Grafting  Wax. — A  composition  of  very  good  quality  is 
made  of  four  parts  rosin,  two  of  beeswax,  and  one  of  tal- 
low. Melt  it  altogether,  turn  it  into  cold  water,  and  work 
and  pull  it  thoroughly  until  it  turns  whitish ;  just  as  chil- 
dren do  molasses  candy.  A  wax  for  cold  weather  will 
work  better  with  a  little  less  rosin,  and  in  warm  with  a 
little  more.  The  stiffness  of  the  wax  is  increased  or  di- 
minished by  employing  less  or  more  of  tallow.  In  cold 
weather  keep  the  composition  in  warm  water,  and  in  warm, 
in  cold  water.  In  putting  it  on,  the  hands  must  be 
slightly  greased,  to  keep  it  from  sticking  to  them,  but 
grease  the  scion  and  stock  in  operating  as  little  as  possible. 

In  applying  the  wax,  be  careful  to  cover  the  scion  on  the 
sides  and  the  cleft  in  the  stock,  forming  a  cap  over  the  top, 
and  press  it  closely  and  tightly  around  the  graft,  so  as  to 
cover  every  crack,  and  carefully  to  exclude  the  air  and 
water.  Cloth,  saturated  in  a  composition  made  a  little 
softer  by  a  greater  addition  of  tallow  and  beeswax,  is 
more  convenient  than  the  wax  itself,  especially  for  whip 
grafting.  Take  any  thin,  half- worn  calico  or  muslin,  tear 
it  into  narrow  strips,  roll  them  loosely  into  small  balls, 
and  soak  them  in  the  hot  composition  until  every  pore  i? 
filled.  When  wished  for  use,  it  is  unwound  from  the 
balls,  and  torn  into  smaller  strips,  of  the  proper  length 
and  breadth  required  by  the  size  of  the  stock;  this, 
wound  two  or  three  times  around  the  stock  and  graft,  se- 
cures it  perfectly,  and  is  the  most  convenient  way  of 
applying  wax. 

Modes  and  Time  of  Grafting,— The  modes  of  grafting 
most  usually  practised  are  whip  and  cleft  grafting,  and 
they  are  practised  on  the  stem  and  branches,  or  the  roots 
of  trees.  Root-grafting  can  be  performed  at  any  time  in 
this  climate,  or  from  the  fall  of  the  leaf  until  the  buds  be- 


118  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

gin  to  open.  The  peach,  grafted  in  this  way  early  in  the 
season,  succeeds  perfectly  at  the  South,  but  generally  fails 
north  of  Virginia.  Stone-fruits  of  all  kinds  must  be 
grafted  earlier  than  apples,  pears,  etc.,  as  their  sap  seems 
to  lose  all  agglutinating  properties  after  its  first  flow. 

Graft  them  just  as  the  buds  are  about  to  swell,  but  for 
most  other  species  the  best  time  for  grafting,  except  in  the 
root,  where  the  scion  will  be  protected  by  the  earth  cov- 
ering it,  is  while  the  buds  are  swelling  in  the  spring.  If 
put  in  before  that  time,  the  alternate  freezing  and  thawing 
to  which  they  are  exposed  often  destroys  the  vitality  of 
the  graft.  Apples,  pears,  etc.,  may  be  grafted  until 
they  blossom,  if  the  scions  are  kept  perfectly  fresh,  and 
have  not  started.  Grafting  succeeds  perfectly  well  just 
before  the  second  growth,  early  in  August,  if  the  sap  is 
thrown  into  the  graft,  by  rubbing  off  the  other  shoots  as 
they  appear;  but  it  is  just  as  well  to  wait  until  spring, 
there  being  no  gain  in  the  growth  of  the  graft  over  those 
put  in  at  the  usual  season. 

Whip,  or  Splice  Grafting,— This  mode  is  applicable  to 
all  small  stocks,  and  succeeds  best  where  the  scion  and 
stock  are  exactly  the  same  size.  Both  stock  and  scion  are 
cut  off  with  a  sloping  cut  about  an  inch  and  a  half  long 
on  each,  so  as  to  match  precisely,  if  of  the  same  size ;  or, 
if  not,  at  least  on  one  side.  A  tongue  is  then  made  by 
slitting  the  scion  upward,  and  the  stock  downward,  which 
is  raised  on  each  and  fitted  into  the  slit  of  the  other — 
holding  the  scion  firmly  in  its  place ;  bind  it  closely  with 
the  cloth  covered  with  the  composition.  The  engravings, 
figures  46  and  47,  (next  page,)  show  the  different  steps  of 
the  operation.  It  is  the  neatest,  most  expeditious,  and 
most  successful  mode  of  grafting,  where  the  stocks  are 
of  the  proper  size.  Stocks,  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in 
diameter,  or  even  an  inch,  may  be  grafted  in  this  way,  but 
for  inch  stocks  cleft  grafting  is  preferable. 


BUDDING    AND    GRAFTING. 


119 


Cleft  Grafting  is  the  more  common  mode.  It  may  be 
practised  on  large  or  small  stocks,  but 
for  the  latter  whip-grafting  only  should 
be  employed.  The  top  of  the  stock 
is  cut  off  carefully  with  a  fine  saw,  and 
pared  smoothly  with  a  sharp  knife. 
The  stock  is  then  split  with  the  graft- 
ing tool,  and  held  open  with  the  chisel 
of  the  same,  figure  48.  A  common 
knife  will  answer  for  splitting,  and  the 
split  may  be  kept  open  for  insertion 
with  a  wooden  wedge  or  a  large  nail  of 
which  the  point  has  been  ground  down 
to  a  wedge  shape.  Sharpen  the  lower 
part  of  the  scion  into  a  smooth  wedge, 
one  and  a  half  inch  long,  more  or  less, 
according  to  its  size  and  that  of  the 
split  in  the  stock.  The  exterior  side 
of  the  scion  when  sharpened  should  be 
slightly  thicker  than  the  other,  that  it 

may  be  sure  to  make  a  close  fit  there,  figure  49.     Let  the 

scion  have  two  or  more  buds, 

of  which  one  should  be  on 

the  wedge  and  inserted  just 

below  the  top  of  the  stock, 

figure  50.     This  often  grows 

when  the  others  fail.      The 

main  point  is  that  the  inside 

bark  of  the  scion  and  that  of 

the  stock  should  exactly  cor- 
respond, and  meet  at  their 

edges  at  least  in  one  place. 

To  effect  this,  it  is  usual  to 

set  the  scion  so  that  its  upper         Fig.  48.    Fig.  49.    Fig.  50. 

extremity  falls  a  little  without  the  line  made  by  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  stock  on  the  side  in  which  it  is  inserted.  It 


Fig.  46.      Fig. 47. 

SPLICE  GRAFTING. 


120  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

is  better  as  in  figure  51  to  set  it  a  little  within  or  towards 
the  heart  of  the  stock,  and  the  base  of  the  scion  a  little  out, 
and  when  the  scion  and  stock  cross  each  other,  a  meeting 
of  the  edges  will  be  certain,  and  even  a  novice  will  thus 
succeed.  One  or  two  scions  are  set  in  the  stock  according 
to  its  size ;  the  wedge  is  then  withdrawn,  and 
the  whole  carefully  covered  with  the  composi- 
tion so  as  to  exclude  all  air  and  moisture. 

Root  Grafting. — Both  the  whip  and  cleft 
modes  are  successfully  applied  in  root  graft- 
ing, but  splice  grafting  is  more  generally  in 
use.  In  root  grafting  fruit  trees,  the  best 
stocks  for  the  purpose  are  seedlings  which  are 
cut  off  at  the  collar  and  grafts  inserted  in 
one  or  the  other  of  these  modes,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  stock.  If  such  stocks  cannot 
be  got,  roots  ©f  thrifty  trees  may  be  em- 
ployed, but  are  more  apt  to  produce  diseased 
trees.  This  work  can  be  performed  at  any 
leisure  time  during  the  winter,  and  when  the 
winters  are  mild  and  open,  they  should  be 
set  out  in  the  open  ground  at  once  and 
covered  about  an  inch  above  the  point  of 
junction  with  soil. 

In^  colder  latitudes  they  are  packed  closely  in  small 
boxes  with  sandy  earth  among  the  roots,  and  kept  in  a 
cool  cellar  until  they  can  be  planted  in  spring.  In  root 
grafting,  either  waxed  cloth  or  twine  is  used  to  hold  the 
scions  in  place. 

In  grafting,  as  in  budding,  always  have  sharp  instru- 
ments ;  make  the  cuts  clean  and  smooth ;  bring  the  inner 
bark,  that  is,  the  active  young  parts,  of  stock  and  scion 
in  close  contact,  by  a  permanent  pressure  of  the  stock  up- 
on its  scion ;  the  top  of  the  scion  should  be  cut  off  next 
to  a  bud,  and  have  a  bud  just  beneath  the  shoulder  where 
it  unites  with  the  stock  j  every  portion  of  the  wound 


BUDDING    AND   GRAFTING. 


should  be  perfectly  covered  with  the  composition,  and  the 
stock  and  scion  must  correspond,  not  only  hi  their  nature, 
but  in  their  habits  of  growth. 

Inarching,  or  Grafting  by  Approach, — This  mode  is 
practised  with  Camellias  and  Magnolias.  A 
branch  is  bent  and  partly  cut  through,  as  in 
figure  52,  and  the  heel,  thus  formed,  is  slipped 
into  a  slit  made  downward  in  the  stock  to  re- 
ceive it ;  the  parts  are  then  made  to  meet  as 
exactly  as  possible,  and  are  bound  with  bass 
strings,  as  in  figure  53,  and  covered  with  graft- 
ing clay,  or  with  the  composition.  In  five  or 
six  months  the  union  is  complete,  and  the  in- 
arched plant  may  be  separated  from  its  parent, 
which  is  done  with  a  sharp  knife  so  as  to  leave 
a  clean  cut.  The  head  of  the  stock,  if  not 
removed  before,  is  then  cut  away,  and  the 

plant  is  ready  for  removal. 

There  are  several  other  modes  of  budding  and  grafting, 

but  the  above  are  most  useful  and  commonly  practised. 
The  advantages  of  these  operations 

are,  the  rapidity  with  which  a  valuable 

kind  may  be  propagated,  which  will  not 

grow  from  seed  or  cuttings:   trees  of 

worthless   fruit  may  be   changed  into 

more  valuable  varieties;   seedlings  can 

be  brought  into  early  bearing ;  foreign, 

tender  fruits  may  be  rendered  hardier 

on  hardy,  native  stocks;  a  kind  of  fruit 

may  be  grown  in  a  soil  not  congenial  to 

it,  as  the  pear  by  grafting  on  the  quince ; 

several  varieties  of  fruit  may  be  grown 

upon  the  same  tree ;  and,  finally,  by  graft- 
ing on  dwarf-growing  stocks  the  trees 

may  be  so  dwarfed  as  to  afford  many 

ripening  in  succession  within  the  limits  of  a  small  garden, 
6 


122  GARDENING  FOK  THE  SOUTH. 

Experience  shows  the  graft  and  stock  mutually  influence 
each  other.  The  effect  of  the  stock  upon  the  graft  in  im- 
proving its  product,  is  evident  in  such  pears  as  succeed  on 
the  quince,  their  size  and  flavor  being  much  improved. 
The  graft  in  turn  affects  the  stock,  increasing  or  diminish- 
ing its  vigor.  The  Newtown  Pippin  will  roughen  the 
bark  of  any  other  apple  stock.  A  Collins  pear,  grafted 
upon  the  branches  of  another  variety,  is  very  likely  to 
cause  the  death  of  the  whole  tree. 


CHAPTER      XI. 

PRUNING    AND    TRAINING. 

Pruning. — This  operation  is  generally  performed  more 
at  random  than  any  other  in  gardening,  yet  is  one  of  the 
most  important  and  most  delicate.  Not  even  a  twig 
should  be  removed  from  a  tree  without  some  definite  ob- 
ject. This  work  above  all  others  requires  care,  knowl- 
edge, and  judgment,  and  should  never  be  left  to  ignorant 
operators.  In  their  hands  the  results  can  hardly  fail  to  be 
injurious,  but  performed  by  those  who  base  their  practice 
on  the  laws  of  vegetation,  it  contributes  to  ensure  a  regu- 
lar production  of  beautiful  and  perfect  fruit,  and  still 
more  to  prolong  the  life  and  fruitfulness  of  trees. 

The  benefits  of  skillful  pruning,  as  stated  by  Du  Breuil, 
are: 

1st. — It  permits  one  to  impose  upon  its  subject  a  form 
corresponding  with  the  place  it  is  designed  to  occupy. 
Thus  to  standard  fruit  trees  is  given  the  pyramidal  form, 
or  that  of  the  vase.  Trees  thus  managed  produce  larger 
and  more  abundant  fruits  than  those  left  to  grow  at  ran- 
dom, and  occupy  less  space.  Trees  upon  an  espalier  or 


PRUNING  AND   TKAINlXa.  123 

wall,  and  vines  upon  a  trellis,  are  made  to  develop  their 
wood  with  symmetry  and  regularity,  and  occupy  usefully 
the  whole  surface  they  were  designed  to  cover. 

2d. — By  pruning,  all  the  main  branches  of  the  tree  are 
furnished  with  fruit  bearing  branches  duly  exposed  to  air 
and  light  in  their  whole  extent.  An  unpruned  peach  tree 
will  produce  fruit  only  at  the  extremity  of  each  branch, 
but  by  pruning,  all  parts  of  the  tree  are  made  fruitful. 

3d. — By  pruning,  fructification  is  made  more  equal. 
By  suppressing  each  year  the  superabundant  flower-buds, 
and  thinning  the  branches  themselves,  one  preserves  for 
the  formation  of  new  flower-buds  for  the  following  year 
the  sap  which  would  have  been  absorbed  by  the  parts  re- 
moved. 

4th. — Finally,  pruning  renders  the  fruit  larger,  and  of 
better  quality.  A  large  part  of  those  nourishing  fluids 
which  would  have  supplied  the  suppressed  parts,  are  turned 
to  the  benefit  of  the  fruit  on  the  remaining  branches. 

Lindley  adds  that  the  time  in  which  a  fruit  ripens  may 
be  changed  by  skillful  pruning.  If  raspberry  canes  are 
cut  down  to  three  eyes  in  the  spring,  a  late  summer  or 
autumn  crop  will  be  produced.  By  removing  the  flower- 
buds  of  remontant  roses,  fine  autumn  blooms  are  obtained. 

Time  for  Pruning, — Pruning  is  performed  at  two  pe- 
riods during  the  year.  Winter  pruning  is  that  given  to 
trees  while  vegetation  is  in  repose,  and  summer  pruning 
includes  all  that  a  tree  or  plant  receives  in  its  stages  of 
active  growth. 

Winter  Pruning. — This  may  be  performed  at  the  South 
directly  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  and  in  mild  weather 
through  the  winter  months,  until  vegetation  is  about  to 
commence ;  at  the  North,  from  the  tune  the  severe  frosts 
are  over,  until  the  sap  begins  to  move,  that  is,  in  Febru- 
ary and  March.  If  pruned  before  the  -heavy  frosts,  the 
cut,  being  exposed  to  their  severity,  does  not  heal  readily, 


124  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

and  the  terminal  bud  is  often  destroyed.  Priming  must 
not  be  undertaken  while  the  branches  are  frozen,  as  the 
wood  cuts  with  great  difficulty,  and  the  wounds  are  torn 
and  commonly  heal  badly,  and  the  nearest  bud  generally 
perishes.  If  delayed  until  the  shoots  begin  to  start,  all 
the  sap  from  the  roots,  that  has  been  absorbed  by  the  parts 
of  the  tree  cut  off,  is  lost.  A  great  many  of  the  expand- 
ing leaf  and  flower-buds  will  be  broken  off,  and  finally  the 
sap,  in  full  flow,  pours  from  the  wounds  and  the  tree  is 
greatly  weakened  thereby. 

Pruned  at  the  proper  season,  the  tree  throws  all  its  force 
upon  the  remaining  buds,  developing  those  which  would 
else  be  dormant.  Where,  however,  a  tree  is  too  vigorous 
to  fruit  well,  a  late  spring  pruning,  when  the  shoots  begin 
to  lengthen,  will  check  its  vigor  and  cause  the  formation 
of  fruit  buds. 

The  vine,  currant,  and  gooseberry,  may  be  pruned  at 
any  time  between  the  suspension  of  growth  and  the  first 
flow  of  sap.  In  general,  it  is  best  to  prune  plants  in  the 
order  in  which  vegetation  commences ;  first  apricots,  then 
peaches,  just  as  their  buds  begin  to  swell,  plums  and 
cherries,  then  pears  and  apples.  Stone  fruits  should  be 
lightly  pruned,  as  they  are  apt  to  be  injured  by  the  issue 
of  gum  from  the  wounds. 

Summer  Pruning, — Shoots  may  be  removed  at  any 
time,  if  the  tree  seems  to  be  throwing  its  strength  in  a 
wrong  direction.  This  is  better  accomplished  by  disbud- 
ding, that  is,  removing  those  buds  which  would  produce 
unnecessary  shoots,  or  pinching  the  extremities  of  those 
shoots  which  are  making  too  much  wood. 

Pinching,  or  removing  the  growing  point  with  the  fin- 
ger and  thumb,  is  the  most  essential  operation  in  the  sum- 
mer management,  both  of  fruit  trees  and  ornamental 
plants.  The  tendency  of  the  sap  is  to  the  growing  points, 
and  especially  to  those  more  elevated  and  exposed  to  the 
light.  The  upper  buds,  if  the  tree  or  plant  is  near  to  and 


AND   TRAINING.  125 

shaded  by  others,  are  the  only  ones  to  develop,  and,  con- 
sequently, it  shoots  upward  rapidly,  while  the  stem  is  not 
proportionally  developed,  and  few  side  branches  are  thrown 
out.  Such  a  tree  must  not  only  be  cut  back  severely  at 
the  winter  pruning  so  as  to  shorten  the  leader  to  perhaps 
one-third  of  its  growth,  but  it  needs  looking  to  in  summer, 
or  it  will  push  upward  as  strongly  as  before.  To 
strengthen  its  side  branches,  then,  it  is  necessary  to  pinch 
in  early,  while  they  are  in  active  growth,  the  leader  or 
any  other  shoot  that  is  evidently  receiving  an  undue 
amount  of  sap,  which  operation  checks  the  flow  of  sap  to 
that  point,  and  directs  it  to  where  it  is  more  needed. 
When  a  side  shoot  shows  a  disposition  to  outgrow  the 
leader,  the  defect  is  remedied  by  pinching,  with  no  loss 
of  wood  or  growth  to  the  tree.  Pyramidal  forms  can  only 
be  secured  in  this  way  by  summer  pinching,  keeping  the 
lower  limbs  always  the  longest.  In  the  same  way  early 
bearing  is  promoted,  for  the  check  given  to  the  growing 
point  concentrates  the  sap,  and,  unless  the  shoots  again 
start  into  growth,  it  is  likely  to  form  fruit  buds.  Bushy 
specimen  plants  in  the  green-house  and  flower-garden  are 
not  to  be  seen  in  plants  left  to  themselves.  The  stems 
are  soon  naked,  and,  if  cut  back,  they  soon  grow  up  as 
bad  as  before.  If  the  leading  and  other  dominant  shoots 
are  pinched  back,  leaving  the  side  shoots  unchecked  until 
ripe,  when  they  may, be  cut  back  a  little  to  make  them 
branch,  they  will  be  as  healthy  and  full  of  bloom  as  those 
at  the  upper  part  of  the  plant.  Pinching  should  be  per- 
formed at  once  as  soon  as  a  shoot  shows  itself  out  of  pro- 
portion. Further  directions  as  to  the  summer  manage- 
ment of  particular  trees  and  plants  will  be  given  hereafter. 
Implements  * — The  implements  required  in  pruning  are 
the  common  pruning  knife,  a  small  saw  with  very  fine 
teeth,  a  socket  chisel  two  or  three  inches  wide,  with  a 
long  handle,  and  a  pair  each  of  large  pruning  shears, 
pruning  scissors,  and  pole  pruning  shears ;  these  should 


126  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

divide  the  branch  with  a  clean,  smooth  cut,  and  not 
bruise  it  on  the  side  next  the  stem. 

Mode  of  Operating  upon  the  Branches. — They  should 
be  so  cut  that  they  will  heal  kindly.  If  it  was  desired  to 
cut  off  a  branch  as-  at  fig.  54,  it  is  cut  as  near  to  the  bud 
as  possible,  without  injury  to  it.  The  knife  is  entered 

directly  opposite  to  the  base 
of  the  bud,  and  comes  out 
even  with  the  point  of  the 
bud.  In  this  way  the  bud 
will  not  suffer,  and  the  cut 
quickly  heals.  In  fig.  55 
the  cut  is  so  far  above  the 

bud  that  the  shoot  will  die 
Fig.  54.         Fig.  55.         Fig.  56.       down  to  near  the  budj  and 

require  to  be  again  cut  off  that  it  may  heal  over.  If  the 
cut  is  made,  commencing  too  far  below  the  bud,  as  at  fig. 
56,  the  bud  is  badly  nourished  and  will  be  less  vigorous, 
and  perhaps  perish.  In  cutting  off  a  branch  it  should  not 
be  cut  so  close  to  the  stem  as  to  wound  it,  or  make  the 
cut  larger  than  the  base  of  the  branch,  neither  so  long  as 
to  leave  a  snag  to  decay  slowly  for  years,  if  it  do  not  send 
out  new  vigorous  shoots  again  requiring  removal. 

Considered  mechanically,  the  great  art  is  to  make  a 
clean,  smooth  cut,  so  as  to  leave  the  bark  in  a  healthy 
state  to  cover  the  wound,  and  to  prune  so  near  a  bud  as 
to  leave  no  dead  wood.  Hence,  if  the  branch  be  removed 
with  the  saw,  the  cut  must  be  smoothed  over  with  the 
knife.  In  cutting  off  large  branches,  the  wound  should 
be  covered  with  grafting  wax,  or  painted  over  with  Mr. 
Downing's  preparation  of  shellac  dissolved  in  alcohol,  in 
order  to  exclude  the  air. 

General  Principles  of  Pruning.— The  secret  of  prun- 
ing judiciously  consists  in  1st,  "  Calculating  intelligently 
the  proportion  one  ought  to  establish  between  the 


PRUNING  AND  TRAINING.  127 

branches  with  fruit  and  those  with  none,  and  which  serve 
only  to  nourish  the  tree.  2d,  In  establishing  an  equilibrium 
among  the  parts  of  the  tree,  so  that  neither  side  nor  its 
leader  may  grow  out  of  proportion  so  as  to  weaken  the 
other  side  or  the  base  by  drawing  to  kself  all  the  sap." 

Pruning  is  most  commonly  intended  either  to  improve 
the  form  of  the  tree  by  directing  the  growth  from  one 
part  to  another ;  to  renew  the  growth  of  stunted  trees ; 
to  induce  or  diminish  fruitfulness  /  to  remove  diseased 
or  decaying  branches ;  and  in  cases  of  transplanting,  to 
proportion  the  head  to  the  roots. 

In  pruning  to  improve  the  form  of  the  tree,  whether 
fruit  trees,  or  ornamental  trees  in  pleasure  grounds,  the 
object  is  to  preserve  its  natural  shape,  so  that  it  may  be 
an  agreeable  object  on  the  lawn,  or  when  combined  with 
others  in  a  group.  Lawn  trees  should  never  have  the 
stems  trimmed  up  to  bare  poles,  but  the  branches  should 
proceed  from  near  the  ground,  so  that  when  covered  with 
foliage  they  will  nearly  sweep  the  surface,  and  be  one 
mass  of  green  from  the  base  to  the  top.  So  in  all  kinds 
of  fruit  trees,  the  branches  should  be  allowed  to  proceed 
from  the  trunk  about  a  foot  and  a  half  from  the  ground. 
Such  trunks  are  screened  from  our  burning  sun,  and  are 
much  more  healthy  and  fruitful  than  those  with  naked 
stems  five  or  six  feet  high.  Every  tree  growing  naturally 
has  its  trunk  sheltered  from  the  sun.  If  it  grow  in  the 
open  ground,  this  is  accomplished  by  its  own  branches, 
while  in  the  forest  all  the  trunks  are  sheltered  by  the 
canopy  of  foliage  above.  If  one  part  of  the  tree  is  dis- 
posed to  outgrow  another,  and  thus  destroy  the  balance, 
it  may  be  shortened  in  winter,  and  the  shoots  pinched  off 
the  next  summer,  until  the  sap  is  thrown  in  the  right  di- 
rection into  weaker  branches  that  were  left  entire,  and 
the  balance  is  restored.  When  it  is  desired  that  new 
shoots  of  a  branch  should  take  an  upright  direction,  prune 
to  an  inside  bud.  If  you  wish  an  open9  spreading  top, 


128  GAEDEJS1NG   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

prune  to  an  outside  bud  of  the  branch.  If  the  branches 
be  cut  at  an  inside  bud,  as  at  A,  figure  57,  the  growth 
from  the  upper  buds  will  be  as  in  figure  58 ;  but  if  the 
cut  at  an  outside  bud,  B,  figure  57,  the  new  branches  will 
spread  apart,  as  shown  in  figure  59.  To  make  a  stem 


Fig.  57  Fig.  58.  Fig.  59. 

PRUNING  TO  IMPROVE  FORM. 

grow  erect,  in  the  annual  cutting  back  which  young 
trees  require,  select  the  bud  intended  for  a  leader  on 
opposite  sides  each  successive  year,  and  the  tree  will 
grow  upright.  Selecting  it  two  or  three  years  on  the  same 
side,  will  cause  the  trunk  to  incline  in  that  direction. 
Symmetrical  growth  is  not  only  agreeable  to  the  eye,  but  it 
assists  in  maintaining  the  equilibrium  of  vegetation,  pre- 
venting the  sap  from  being  drawn  more  to  one  side  than 
the  other. 

Pruning  to  Renew  the  Growth.— When  a  tree  has 


PRUNING   AND   TEAINING.  129 

stopped  growing,  remaining  stationary,  it  often  happens 
that  if  it  is  cut  back  in  winter  to  a  few  buds,  the  whole 
force  of  the  sap  being  made  to  act  on  these  few  buds, 
vigorous  young  shoots  will  be  produced,  and  these  sending 
down  new  woody  matter  to  the  stem,  new  roots  are  form- 
ed, and  the  whole  tree  is  renewed.  In  young  trees  where 
the  growth  has  not  been  checked,  an  annual  cutting  back 
of  the  new  growth  is  likewise  necessary,  and  will  strengthen 
the  branches  on  the  lower  parts  of  the  tree,  and  thicken 
up  the  trunk,  enabling  it  to  maintain  an  erect  position. 

Pruning  to  Reduce  or  Diminish  Fruitfulness,— Every- 
thing that  is  favorable  to  rapid,  vigorous  growth,  is  gener- 
ally unfavorable  to  the  immediate  production  of  fruit. 
Hence  pruning,  to  induce  fruitf illness,  is  performed  after 
vegetation  has  commenced.  If  a  tree  be  severely  pruned 
immediately  after  its  leaves  have  put  forth,  it  is  so  checked 
as  to  be  unable  to  make  a  vigorous  growth  the  same 
season,  the  circulation  of  the  sap  is  impeded,  and  the 
young  shoots  that  would  have  made  wood  branches,  had 
the  growth  been  unchecked,  will  become  fruit  spurs. 
Pinching  the  extremities  is,  however,  the  usual  mode  of 
pruning  to  induce  fruitfulness.  The  same  result  is  pro- 
duced by  pruning  the  roots,  which  also  lessens  the  dimen- 
sions the  trees  would  otherwise  obtain,  by  diminishing 
the  quantity  of  food  they  receive  from  the  soil. 

Pruning  at  Transplanting, — At  this  time  all  bruised  and 
broken  roots  and  branches  should  be  removed  with  a  sharp 
knife.  When  trees  are  taken  from  the  ground,  a  greater 
or  less  portion  of  the  roots  is  destroyed  or  injured,  and 
the  natural  balance  between  the  root  and  top  is  destroy- 
ed, and  the  tree  in  this  condition  will  either  die  or  make 
a  slow  growth.  In  England,  the  climate  is  so  moist  that 
trees  may  be  removed  and  leave  nearly  all  the  branches 
as  they  were ;  but  under  the  hot  suns  and  strong  winds 
of  an  American  climate,  a  vigorous  shortening  in  is  req- 
uisite. 

6* 


130  GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

As  horticultural  theorists  strongly  insisted  that  pruning 
at  transplanting  was  injurious,  J.  J.  Thomas,  Esq.,  author 
of  the  Fruit  Culturist,  has  settled  the  question  by  direct 
experiment.  Of  six  apricots,  two  years  from  the  bud, 
about  seven  feet  high,  five  were  cut  back  and  one  left  un- 
cut at  transplanting.  The  most  vigorous  of  the  five  made 
21  shoots,  from  6  to  21  inches  long.  The  weakest  had  9 
shoots  6  to  7  inches  long,  not  counting  the  shoots  less 
than  6  inches  in  length.  The  unpruned  tree  had  on  7 
shoots  all  less  than  2  inches,  and  not  one-twentieth  part 
of  the  amount  of  foliage  to  be  found  on  other  trees.  Ex- 
periments upon  cherry  trees,  planted  at  the  same  time, 
equally  showed  the  necessity  of  pruning  at  transplanting. 
Trees  unripened  when  transplanted  are  so  checked  that 
it  requires  years  to  restore  them.  In  a  southern  climate 
they  must  be  more  severely  cut  back,  when  planted  out, 
than  in  that  of  Macedon,  1ST.  Y.,  where  the  experiments 
were  made. 

It  matters  very  little  how  closely  we  prune  the  top  of 
the  trees ;  only  have  good  roots,  and  a  single  season's 
growth  will  restore  the  balance.  Do  not  leave  more  than 
one  or  two  buds  to  a  branch  of  the  previous  year's  growth 
if  the  tree  is  of  much  size  at  the  time  of  transplanting. 
Coniferous  trees,  as  the  pines,  firs,  etc.,  are  exceptions,  for 
if  cut  back  at  planting,  the  leader  being  lost,  the  form  of 
the  tree  is  difficult  to  restore.  Hence  those  only  of  this 
class  should  be  planted  which  have  been  taken  up  and  re- 
set annually  in  the  nursery  until  a  mass  of  fibrous  roots 
has  been  formed.  These  must  be  protected  from  the  air 
until  the  tree  is  reset.  Broad-leaved  evergreens,  like 
English  Laurels,  evergreen  Oaks,  may  be  cut  back  and  a 
portion  of  the  leaves  removed  to  lessen  evaporation,  with 
the  same  advantage  as  deciduous  trees.  Indeed,  many  of 
the  broad-leaved  evergreens,  taken  from  the  woods,  cannot 
be  transplanted  with  any  success,  unless  nearly  all  the  top 
is  removed.  Nursery-raised  trees  are  taken  up  and  reset 


PRUNING   AND   TRAINING.  131 

so  often,  that  they  can  be  replanted  safely  without  cutting 
in  so  severely. 

M.  Du  Breuil,  from  whose  work  we  have  already  drawn, 
bases  the  whole  theory  of  pruning  fruit  trees  upon  the 
following  six  general  principles,  which,  in  giving,  we  con- 
dense : 

L — The  vigor  of  a  tree  subjected  to  pruning  depends 
in  a  great  measure  on  the  equal  distribution  of  sap  in  all 
its  branches.  That  this  equal  distribution  may  take  place — 

1.  Prune  the  branches  of  the  most  vigorous  parts  very 
short,  and  those  of  the  weak  parts  long.     The  feeble  parts 
being  pruned  long,  present  a  great  number  of  buds  and  a 
large  surface  of  leaves,  which  attract  the  sap,  and  produce 
vigorous  growth ;    while  the  vigorous  parts  being  pruned 
short  and  the  surface  of  leaves  diminished,  growth  in  those' 
parts  is  also  diminished. 

2.  Leave  a  large  quantity  of  fruit  on  the  strong  party 
and  remove  the  whole  or  the  greater  part  from  the  feeble. 
The  sap  which  arrives  in  the  strong  part  will  be  appropri- 
ated by  the  fruit,  and  the  wood  there  will  make  little 
growth,  while  tKe  feeble  parts  being  deprived  of  fruit, 
the  sap  will  be  appropriated  by  the  growing  parts  and 
they  will  increase  in  sizo  and  strength. 

3.  Send  the  strong  parts  and  keep  the  weak  erect.     The 
more  erect  the  branches  are,  the  greater  will  be  the  flow 
of  sap  and  consequent  growth ;    hence,  the  balance  may 
be  restored  by  bending  down  those  disposed  to  make  too 
much  growth. 

4.  Remove  from  the  vigorous  parts  the  superfluous 
shoots  as  early  in  the  season  as  possible,  and  from  the 
feeble  parts  as  late  as  possible.     The  fewer  the  young 
shoots  are  in  number,  the  fewer  the  leaves,  and  the  less  the 
sap  is  attracted  there ;    but  leaving  these  standing  on  the 
feeble  parts,  these  leaves  attract  the  sap  and  induce  vig- 
orous growth. 


132  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

5.  Pinch  early  the  soft  extremities  of  the  shoots  on  the 
vigorous  parts,  and  as  late  as  possible  on  the  feeble  parts, 
excepting  always  any  shoots  which  may  be  too  vigorous 
for  their  position.     By  this  practice  the  flow  of  sap  to 
that  point  is  checked  and  turned  to  the  growing  points 
that  have  not  been  pinched. 

6.  In  training,  lay  in  the  strong  shoots  on  the  trellis 
early  and  leave  the  feeble  parts  loose  as  long  as  possible. 
Laying  in  the  strong  shoots  obstructs  in  them  the  circu- 
lation, and  favors  the  weak  parts  which  are  at  liberty. 
Giving  also  the  feeble  parts  the  benefit  of  the  light  in 
training,  and  confining  the  strong  parts  more  in  the  shade, 
restores  a  balance. 

II. — The  sap  acts  with  greater  force  and  produces  more 
vigorous  growth  on  a  branch  short  pruned  than  on  one 
long  pruned.  The  whole  sap  of  the  branch  acting  on  two 
buds  must  produce  greater  development  of  wood  on  them 
than  if  divided  among  fifteen  or  twenty.  Hence,  to  pro- 
duce wood  branches,  we  prune  short,  or  if  fruit  branches 
we  prune  long,  because  slender  and  feeble  shoots  are  more 
disposed  to  fruit.  Hence,  also,  tree?  that  are  enfeebled  by 
over-bearing  should  for  a  year  or  two  be  pruned  short, 
until  the  balance  is  restored. 

III. — The  sap  tending  always  to  the  extremities  of  the 
shoots  causes  the  terminal  bud  to  push  with  greater  vigor 
than  the  laterals. — When  we  wish  a  prolongation  of  a 
stem,  we  should  prune  to  a  vigorous  wood  bud,  and  leave 
no  production  that  can  interfere  with  the  action  of  the  sap 
on  it. 

IV. — The  more  the  sap  is  obstructed  in  its  circulation, 
the  more  likely  it  will  be  to  produce  fruit-buds.  Sap,  cir- 
culating slowly,  is  subjected  to  a  more  complete  elabora- 
tion in  the  tissues  of  the  tree,  and  becomes  better  adapted  ' 
to  form  fruit  buds.  If  we  wish  a  branch  to  bear  fruit,  we 
can  obstruct  the  circulation  of  the  sap  by  bending  or 


PKUOTXG   AND   TRAIXIXG.  Io3 

making  incisions  around  the  branch,  or  if  wished  to  change 
a  fruit  into  a  wood-branch,  raise  it  into  a  vertical  position 
and  prune  it  to  two  or  three  buds,  on  which  we  concen- 
trate the  action  of  the  sap  and  induce  them  to  grow 
vigorously. 

V, — The  leaves  serve  to  prepare  the  sap  absorbed  by  the 
roots  for  the  nourishment  of  the  tree,  and  aid  in  the  for- 
mation of  buds  on  the  shoots.  All  trees  therefore,  de- 
prived of  their  leaves,  are  liable  to  perish.  Hence,  the 
leaves  should  never  be  removed  from  a  tree  under  the 
pretext  of  aiding  the  growth,  or  ripening  the  fruit,  as  de- 
prived of  leaves  trees  cannot  grow,  neither  can  their  fruit 
mature. 

VI i —  When  the  buds  of  any  shoot  or  branch  do  not  de- 
velope  before  the  age  of  two  years,  they  can  be  forced  into 
activity  only  by  a  very  close  pruning,  and  in  some  cases, 
as  the  peach,  even  this  will  fail.  Hence  the  main  branches 
should  be  trimmed  so  as  to  secure  a  development  of  their 
successive  sections,  and  so  shortened  in  as  not  to  allow 
the  production  of  long,  naked  stems,  leaving  the  interior 
of  the  tree  bare  of  shoots,  and  consequently  unproductive. 

In  order  to  induce  trees  to  grow  in  any  particular  form, 
it  is  not  so  much  labor  as  continued  attention  that  is  re- 
quired. A  thorough  pruning  once  a  year  will  not  pro- 
duce the  desired  eifect,  but  a  little  attention  two  or  three 
times  a  week  during  the  growing  season,  will  be  sufficient 
to  examine  every  shoot  in  an  acre  of  garden  trees,  and  the 
eye  is  very  soon  trained  so  as  to  detect  at  a  glance  the 
shoots  that  require  attention.  (Du  JSreuil,  Lindley, 
JBarry,  etc.) 

Training. — The  principal  objects  of  training  are  to 
render  plants  more  productive  of  fruits  and  flowers  than 
if  left  to  grow  voluntarily,  also  to  form  screens  of  various 
running  plants  to  keep  any  unsightly  object  from  view. 
The  points  to  be  attended  to,  are  to  entirely  cover  the 


134  GAEDEXIXG  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

wall  or  trellis,  bending  the  branches  backwards  and  for- 
wards so  as  to  form  numerous  deposits  of  returning  sap, 
and  ensure  the  full  exposure  of  the  fruit-bearing  branches 
to  the  sun  and  air.  The  long  shoots  are  shortened  or 
pinched  to  make  them  throw  out  side  branches,  with  which 
the  trellis  is  covered,  without  permitting  them  to  cross 
each  other.  Training  flowering  plants  is  necessary  that 
they  may  appear  in  elegant  and  symmetrical  form.  It 
should  be  regulated  by  a  knowledge  of  their  habits  of 
growth,and  consists  principally  in  checking  over-luxuriance 
of  growth  and  tying  them  to  stakes  or  frames.  Direc- 
tions for  training  the  grape,  etc.,  will  be  given  hereafter. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

TRANSPLANTING. 

In  the  operation  of  transplanting,  the  main  points  to  be 
regarded  are  the  proper  preparation  of  the  soil  for  receiv- 
ing the  plant ;  care  in  taking  it  up  so  as  to  avoid  injury 
to  the  small,  fibrous  roots ;  setting  it  firmly  so  that  its 
roots  may  take  a  secure  hold  of  the  soil ;  planting  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible  ;  and,  lastly,  maintaining  the  bal- 
ance as  far  as  practicable  between  the  top  of  the  plant  and 
its  roots,  so  that  the  former  may  not  lose  more  by  evap- 
oration than  the  roots  absorb,  until  again  established. 

Preparation  Of  the  Soil, — Plants,  when  removed,  need 
a  freshly  dug  soil  which  affords  a  moist  situation  in  which 
the  delicate  fibers  may  be  emitted,  and  therein  quickly 
establish  themselves.  If  also  well  drained  and  trenched, 
the  effect  upon  present  and  subsequent  growth  is  very  de- 
cided :  a  tree  or  vine  thriving  much  better  in  such  a  situa- 


TRANSPLANTING.  185 

tion,  than  if  the  roots  are  put  into  a  hole  with  none  of  the 
surrounding  soil  loosened.  The  soil  ought  also  be  enriched 
with  fine  manure,  but  no  coarse,  unfermented  manures 
should  be  applied  where  they  will  come  in  contact  with 
the  roots.  When  the  ground  is  in  a  suitable  condition, 
holes  should  be  dug  for  the  reception  of  the  roots  of  the 
plants.  These  had  better  be  made  square  than  round,  as 
a  large  hole  in  that  form  can  be  sooner  made.  The  diam- 
eter should  be  such  that  it  will  receive  all  the  roots  when 
fully  extended.  The  holes  should  be  made  too  large  rather 
than  too  small.  In  digging  the  holes,  throw  out  the  best 
soil  on  one  side  and  the  poor  on  the  opposite.  If  the 
ground  has  been  prepared  deeply,  the  holes  may  be  made 
just  deep  enough  to  receive  the  roots,  which,  in  some  cases, 
are  spindle-shaped  and  extend  downwards  to  a  considera- 
ble depth,  and  in  others  run  along  the  surface.  For  most 
plants  the  hole  should  be  deeper  at  the  sides  than  at  the 
centre,  leaving  the  bottom  convex  and  not  basin-shaped. 
It  should  have  the  bottom  soil  loosened,  and  in  dry  weather 
be  watered,  but  the  water  should  be  allowed  to  subside  so 
as  to  be  moist,  not  wet,  at  the  time  of  planting.  It  should 
be  left  of  such  depth  in  all  good  soils,  that  the  neck  of  the 
plant  may  be  as  near  the  surface  as  before,  or  but  a  trifle 
above  ;  but  in  clayey  soils,  ill  drained,  let  it  be  somewhat 
above  on  a  broad,  slightly  elevated  mound. 

Taking  up  the  Plants* — In  this  operation  avoid  injury 
to  the  roots  ;  with  the  utmost  care  they  will  be  mutilated. 
A  little  attention  will  save  a  year's  growth  to  a  tree.  The 
roots  are  of  two  kinds,  the  main  roots  which  support  the 
plant  in  the  earth,  and  the  small  branching  or  fibrous  roots, 
the  fresh  tips  and  numerous  fibrils  or  root  hairs  of  which 
supply  it  with  nourishment.  These  parts  are  of  great 
delicacy,  and  if  injured  or  broken  off,  the  plant  must  throw 
out  others,  or  perish  for  want  of  nourishment.  These 
fibrous  roots  are  the  ones  most  likely  to  be  destroyed  or 
injured  in  taking  up,  and  in  replanting  to  be  squeezed  be- 


138  GARDENING   FOE   THE    SO'JTH. 

tween  stones  and  hard  lumps  of  earths,  so  that  the  circu- 
lation is  weakly  and  imperfectly  carried  on  through  dis- 
eased and  defective  organs.  The  roots  of  a  tree  therefore, 
when  transplanted,  must  be  examined,  and  all  those  in- 
jured, and  all  the  small  fibrous  extremities  in  bad  condi- 
tion, should  be  cut  back  with  a  sharp  knife  to  the  sound 
parts  before  it  is  reset,  in  order  to  force  the  root  to  throw 
out  new  fibres,  which,  in  many  plants,  are  produced  in  great 
abundance  from  where  a  root  has  been  cut  back  with  a 
clean  cut.  Roots,  matted  with  fibers,  should  be  disen- 
tangled and  soil  introduced  among  them  in  planting,  so  as 
to  separate  them  from  each  other. 

While  the  plant  is  out  of  the  ground,  its  roots  should 
be  protected  from  exposure  to  the  air,  and,  if  not  planted 
immediately,  should  be  covered  with  earth.  Many  trees 
are  ruined  by  lying  out  exposed  to  the  sun  for  hours  while 
holes  are  being  dug  to  receive  them.  Before  the  tree  is 
reset,  the  top  also  should  receive  the  necessary  pruning. 

Replanting. — After  the  holes  are  ready  and  the  tree 
prepared,  its  roots  should  be  laid  upon  the  convex  surface 
to  see  if  the  hole  is  of  the  proper  depth,  which  may  be 
judged  by  the  eye,  or  more  exactly  by  laying  a  rod  across 
the  hole  close  to  the  stem,  resting  on  the  level  ground  on 
each  side.  If  the  neck  of  the  plant  is  too  high  or  too 
low,  make  the  necessary  alteration,  bringing  the  bottom 
to  the  proper  height,  and  convex  as  before.  Hold  the  tree 
lightly, — if  it  is  in  the  same  aspect  as  before,  in  respect 
to  the  points  of  the  compass,  it  certainly  can  do  it  no 
harm,  and  many  cultivators  think  it  important.  Let  the 
roots  be  nicely  spread  over  this  convex  surface,  training 
out  the  leading  roots  at  distances  as  near  equal  as  possible, 
not  bundling  the  small  roots  together,  but  separating  them 
with  particles  of  fine  soil.  Then  holding  the  stem  firmly 
and  erect,  save  a  slight  inclination  towards  the  side  from 
which  the  heaviest  gales  or  most  constant  winds  are  ex- 
pected, throw  the  finest,  lightest  soil,  from  that  reserved 


TRANSPLANTING.  137 

by  itself,  down  near  the  stem,  letting  it  fall  down  towards 
the  extremities  of  the  roots,  and  introduce  it  carefully 
with  the  hand  among  the  roots.  Having  thus  covered  the 
lower  roots,  those  above  should  also  be  adjusted  and  cov- 
ered with  the  same  care,  and  when  all  are  well  covered, 
water  may  be  given  with  advantage,  unless  the  soil  and 
weather  are  moist.  If  not  watered,  when  the  roots  are 
well  covered,  the  earth  should  be  moderately  pressed  upon 
them  by  treading  the  soil,  (being  careful  not  to  injure 
them,)  if  the  ground  is  light  and  friable,  but  by  no  means 
if  wet.  After  watering  or  treading,  the  remaining  soil 
should  be  put  on,  leaving  the  collar  of  the  plant  covered 
a  very  little  deeper  than  before,  (in  the  case  of  trees  some 
two  inches,)  and  the  looser  and  drier  this  surface  soil  is, 
the  better  will  it  resist  drought.  If  the  body  of  the  tree 
is  held  firm  by  tying  it  to  a  stake,  it  will  prevent  the  loosen- 
ing of  the  roots  by  the  action  of  the  wind  upon  the  tops. 
Checking  undue  Evaporation  until  the  Plant  is  estab- 
lished,— The  maintaining  the  balance  between  the  top  and 
root  of  the  plant  is  best  secured  by  performing  the  whole 
operation  at  the  proper  season,  in  mild,  moist  weather, 
and  with  as  much  despatch  as  possible,  meanwhile  protect- 
ing the  roots  from  the  air  and  sun ;  by  pruning  severely 
the  tops  of  plants  that  admit  the  operation,  thus  lessening 
the  evaporating  surface ;  and  by  guarding  with  the  greater 
care  from  injury  the  roots  of  conifers  and  other  plants  that 
do  not.  Removing  a  large  portion  of  the.  leaves  will  like- 
wise diminish  the  evaporating:  surface,  and  is  very  neces- 
sary in  planting  hollies  and  evergreen  oaks.  Shade 
from  the  sun  those  plants  that  require  such  protection, 
(and  nearly  all  are  thus  benefited,)  and  water  to  sup- 
ply the  absorbing  extremities  of  the  roots  with  an  abun- 
dance of  food,  that  the  increased  quantity  imbibed  by  each 
may,  in  some  degree,  make  up  for  their  diminished  num- 
ber. Mulching  the  surface  thinly  after  a  rain  is  also  use- 
ful in  preventing  undue  loss  of  moisture  from  the  soil. 


138  GARDENING  FOK  THE  SOUTH. 

Preparation  of  Trees  for  Transplanting. — As  a  rule, 
there  is  little  gained  by  planting  out  large  trees.  Small 
trees,  as  Downing  remarks,  can  be  taken  up  with  a  system 
of  roots  and  branches  entire,  while  the  older  and  larger 
tree,  losing  a  part  of  its  roots,  requires  years  to  resume 
its  former  vigor.  Trees,  transplanted  while  small,  will 
prove  more  healthy,  vigorous,  and  enduring ;  but  some- 
times, for  immediate  effect,  or  to  preserve  a  favorite  tree, 
it  is  necessary  to  transplant  it  when  of  larger  size.  This 
is  done  by  shortening  in  the  leading  roots  at  a  distance 
from  the  trunk,  varying  with  the  size  of  the  tree  to  be 
operated  upon.  A  circular  trench  is  dug  in  spring  or  be- 
fore mid-summer  around  the  whole  mass  of  roots,  partially 
undermining  them  and  cutting  off  all  that  extend  into  the 
trench,  which  is  dug  at  such  a  distance  from  the  tree  that 
it  encloses  a  sufficient  ball  of  roots ;  the  trench  may  be 
filled  with  poor  earth,  or  covered  with  plank.  The  tree 
will  be  checked  somewhat,  and  will  fill  the  ball  around  it 
with  a  mass  of  fibrous  roots,  and  in  the  proper  season  can 
be  moved  with  safety.  Many  trees  naturally  tap-rooted, 
and  evergreens  difficult  to  transplant,  are,  by  being  trans- 
planted annually  or  biennially  from  their  seedling  state, 
compelled  to  throw  out  a  mass  of  fibrous  roots,  retain- 
ing among  them  a  ball  of  earth,  and  are  thus  ready  to  be 
moved  at  any  time  without  danger. 

It  is  often  desirable  to  plant  fruit  trees  before  the  leaves 
naturally  fall,  in  seasons  when  autumn  frosts  are  unusually 
late.  A  week  or  two  before  the  trees  are  to  be  taken  up, 
pluck  from  them  every  leaf,  and  allow  them  to  remain  and 
ripen  their  wood.  After  this  time  they  can  be  taken  up, 
packed,  and  sent  safely  long  distances  without  shriveling. 
Meanwhile  the  ground  should  be  prepared,  the  holes  made, 
and,  after  pruning,  plant  them  out,  giving  them  a  good 
watering  before  the  last  soil  is  thrown  in.  In  this  way, 
where  much  planting  is  to  be  done,  a  month's  time  in  au- 
tumn is  gained. 


139 

Transplanting  Herbaceous  Plants,— Most  of  these  are 
easily  transplanted  as  soon  as  they  have  done  flowering,  or 
before  they  begin  to  grow  in  the  spring.  For  annuals,  when 
the  season  is  somewhat  advanced,  a  damp,  cloudy  day,  just 
before  or  just  after  a  shower,  or  in  the  evening,  is  the 
proper  time  for  the  operation.  Immediately  after  a  very 
heavy  rain  is  not  the  best  season,  as  the  soil,  if  moved 
while  too  wet,  forms,  a  crust  about  the  plant.  In  the  case 
of  choice  young  plants,  they  should  be  taken  up  with  a 
trowel,  removing  them  with  a  ball  of  earth,  and  the  plant 
will  hardly  be  checked  in  its  growth.  Larger  plants  may 
be  taken  up  in  the  same  way  with  the  transplanter  or 
spade.  Those  not  removed  with  a  ball,  may  be  grouted  by 
mixing  up  a  quantity  of  rich  lonm  in  water  to  a  semi-fluid 
state,  and  inserting  the  roots  therein.  Plants  that  suffer 
little  in  taking  up,  like  the  cabbage,  may  have  a  hole 
made  in  the  earth  with  a  dibble  and  the  plant  inserted 
therein,  when  the  dibble  is  again  inserted  a  little  obliquely 
near  the  stem,  and  the  earth  pushed  up  close  to  the  roct. 
All  tap-rooted  plants  are  moved  with  difficulty.  Many 
herbaceous  plants,  sweet  potato  slips  for  instance,  can  be 
safely  set  out  in  dry  weather  in  freshly  moved  soil,  by 
making  a  hole  for  their  reception,  setting  the  plants  there- 
in, and  just  covering  the  roots  with  fine  soil ;  then  fill  the 
hole  with  water  about  the  roots  and  cover  them  at  the 
surface  with  dry  soil,  to  retain  the  moisture  and  keep  the 
surface  from  baking.  The  operation  must  be  performed 
in  the  evening. 

All  valuable  herbaceous  plants  should  be  protected  with 
sun  shades  or  plant  protectors,  when  just  planted,  if  the 
sun  comes  out  hot.  These  are  described  in  the  chapter 
on  Implements. 


GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

CHAPTER     XIII. 

MULCHING-,    SHADING,    AND    WATERING. 

Mulching* — Mulching  is  placing  litter  of  various  kinds, 
as  leaves,  pine  straw,  or  strawy  manure,  upon  the  surface 
soil  over  the  roots  of  plants  and  shrubs.  If  leaves  are 
used,  a  little  earth  may  be  required  to  keep  them  in  place. 
Mulching  is  used  as  well  to  prevent  moisture  from  evap- 
orating from  the  soil  in  summer,  as  to  prevent  frost 
from  penetrating  to  the  roots  in  winter.  In  summer  a 
mulch  is  usually  applied  to  trees  and  shrubs  newly  trans- 
planted, and  to  herbaceous  plants  that  are  impatient  of 
heat  about  the  roots.  Irish  potatoes,  mulched,  produce 
more  abundantly,  and  are  of  better  quality.  Strawber- 
ries, thinly  mulched,  with  the  crown  uncovered,  are  much 
more  productive  and  continue  longer  in  fruit.  Rhubarb 
and  other  plants,  requiring  a  cool  soil,  can  thus  be  more 
easily  raised ;  and  so  with  many  other  crops.  Summer 
mulching  should  be  applied  directly  after  a  rain,  that  the 
moisture  in  the  soil  may  be  retained.  It  should  not  be 
applied  to  potatoes  or  other  tender  plants  until  the  danger 
of  frost  is  over,  as  the  increased  evaporation  from  damp 
mulch  will  produce  a  white  frost  when  there  is  none  or 
little  elsewhere  formed.  Fruit  trees,  by  having  their  roots 
mulched,  are  kept  in  better  health  and  vigor.  Mulching 
not  only  wards  off  drought,  but,  in  this  way,  by  keeping 
the  ground  moist,  and  by  the  decay  of  the  mulching  sub- 
stance, a  good  deal  of  food  is  conveyed  to  the  plants. 
Some  authors  are  of  the  opinion  that  ground  will  become 
continually  richer  by  being  shaded.  A  supply  of  small, 
fibrous  roots  is  thrown  out  at  the  surface  by  mulched 
plants,  and  thus  is  prevented  the  formation  of  tap-roots, 
which  aro  inimical  to  the  production  of  blossom  buds. 
But  the  great  benefit  of  mulching  is  that  a  steady  perma- 


MULCHING,   SHADING,   AND   WATERING.  141 

nency  of  moisture  is  retained,  in  spite  of  adverse  circum- 
stances, and  without  stagnation.  In  general,  the  coat  of 
litter  for  mulching  must  be  thin,  that  the  rain  may  not  be 
prevented  from  reaching  the  roots  of  plants. 

Many  plants,  nearly  hardy,  can  be  kept  through  the 
winter  safely  by  a  coat  of  dry  litter  over  the  roots,  and 
especially  the  crown  of  the  plant,  to  turn  off  a  portion  of 
the  rain  and  to  keep  frost  from  penetrating  to  their  roots. 
Verbenas,  which  would  perish  without  this  protection,  are 
often  kept  over  safely  under  a  cover  of  two  or  three  inches 
of  leaves.  So  of  other  plants,  where  the  object  is  to 
protect  the  root  and  crown,  but  not  the  foliage.  Mulch- 
ing has  the  disadvantage  of  being  untidy  in  appearance, 
and  of  affording  shelter  to  insects  and  mice,  and  damage 
also  may  occur  from  its  being  carelessly  set  on  fire  from  a 
cigar,  or  in  cleaning  up  the  garden,  thus  destroying  the 
plants  it  was  intended  to  protect. 

Shading* — In  all  glass  structures  during  the  warmer 
portion  of  the  year,  some  provision  must  be  made  for 
shading.  This  may  be  done  by  thin  sheeting,  but  as  this 
is  expensive  from  its  rapid  decay,  it  is  usual  to  whitewash 
the  glass  externally  as  often  as  may  be  necessary.  The 
autumn  rains  will  soon  wash  it  off  when  the  season  conies 
in  which  more  light  and  heat  is  desirable.  The  lime  of 
the  whitewash,  however,  soon  loosens  the  putty,  so  that  a 
preparation  of  thin  flour  sizing,  thickened  with  a  little 
pipe  clay,  will  be  found  better,  though  not  as  easy  to  re- 
move. Where  a  glass  is  not  needed,  as  for  keeping  camel- 
lias, and  other  plants,  in  pots  through  the  summer,  a  sort 
of  lattice,  made  by  nailing  laths  upon  a  light,  oblong 
frame  made  for  the  purpose  will  be  found  useful.  Laths 
can  also  be  tied  together  with  coarse  twine,  being  separated 
by  one  or  more  knots,  as  greater  or  less  distance  is  desired. 
Mats  and  old  salt  and  coffee  sacks  are  often  used,  but 
they  exclude  too  much  light,  and  are  best  employed  to 
prevent  radiation,  and  thus  keep  out  frost  in  winter. 


142  GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

Water  is  beneficial  to  plants  as  a  vehicle  for  conveying 
all  soluble  matters,  which  form  the  food  of  plants,  whether 
they  be  animal,  vegetable,  gaseous,  or  earthy. 

Other  elements  being  present  in  sufficient  quantity,  the 
growth  and  health  of  a  plant  will  be  more  or  less  satisfac- 
tory in  proportion  as  it  is  or  is  not  supplied  with  all  the 
water  it  can  consume.  The  action  of  water  is  not,  how- 
ever, always  beneficial.  Injudiciously  applied,  it  destroys 
more  plants  than  almost  any  other  item  of  mismanage- 
ment. In  excess,  it  is  always  injurious.  It  fills  the  spa- 
ces in  the  soil  which  would  otherwise  be  filled  with  air, 
and  plants  are  choked  and  perish  for  want  of  this  indis- 
pensable element.  A  superabundance  of  water,  for  a  time, 
increases  the  growth  of  foliage  and  renders  it  tender  and 
succulent ;  hence  a  good  supply  thereof  is  needful  to  plants, 
the  leaves  of  which  are  eaten,  as  lettuce  and  spinach. 

But  by  this  excess  the  production  of  flowers  and  fruits 
is  delayed.  The  odor  of  the  former  and  the  flavor  of  the 
latter  are  weakened  and  impaired.  The  size  of  the  fruit  is 
increased  by  abundance  of  water,  and  without  it  the  straw- 
berry, for  instance,  will  not  swell;  but  the  increased  size, 
unless  it  ripens  in  a  bright  atmosphere  or  the  quantity  of 
water  is  diminished  as  the  fruit  ripens,  is  partly  at  the  ex- 
pense of  flavor.  Fruit  is  not  only  impaired  in  quality,  but 
is  very  liable  to  crack  or  burst  from  excess  of  moisture,  as 
the  plum,  grape,  or  stanwix  nectarine  often  do,  or  rot  upon 
the  tree  while  still  immature,  as  the  peach,  plum,  etc. 

An  excess  of  water  softens  the  tissues  of  plants,  and 
renders  them  much  more  liable  to  injury  by  frost.  A  frost 
directly  after  warm  and  abundant  rains,  when  plants  are 
full  of  sap,  is  much  more  fatal  than  the  saine  temperature 
in  dry  weather. 

The  temperature  of  the  soil,  if  wet,  is  greatly  lowered, 
and  its  capacity  for  heat  diminishes.  The  constant  evap- 
oration from  wet  soil  so  lowers  the  temperature  of  the 
adjacent  stratum  of  air,  that  frosts  occur  when  there  are 


MULCHING,   SHADING,   AND  WATERING.  143 

none  on  dryer  soils.  The  constant  dampness  of  the  atmos- 
phere, produced  by  excess  of  water  in  the  soil,  diminishes 
evaporation  from  the  leaves  of  plants,  and  hence  renders 
the  process  of  assimilation  slower,  and  less  food  is  taken 
up  by  the  roots.  By  diminishing  the  absorption  of  car- 
bonic acid,  it  lessens  the  atmospheric  supply  of  food.  It 
creates  a  tendency  in  the  organs  of  plants  to  vary  from 
the  normal  type  of  growth,  changing  the  flowers,  for  in- 
stance, into  green  leaves  and  ill-formed  shoots. 

Succulent  plants,  those  with  fleshy  roots,  and  those  with 
leaves  that  appear  dry,  and  transpire  but  little,  and  in 
which  vegetation  proceeds  slowly,  are  most  subject  to  in- 
jury from  excess  of  water.  Plants  growing  in  a  clear  light 
are  less  endangered  by  an  over  supply,  than  if  growing  in 
a  shaded  situation,  as  they  can  both  assimilate  and  perspire 
more.  Plants  in  pots  are  most  likely  to  be  injured  by  in- 
judicious watering,  at  times  being  drenched  with  too 
much,  and  at  others  allowed  to  become  too  dry. 

Where  water  exists  in  excess,  it  must  be  removed  by 
drainage.  This  is  indispensable  in  pot  culture.  It  is  par- 
ticularly to  be  attended  to  in  the  case  of  plants  which  are 
to  be  kept  through  the  winter  in  green-houses  or  pits. 

The  quantity  of  water  that  plants  require  varies  with  the 
species  of  plant  and  with  its  condition,  whether  in  a  state 
of  growth  or  repose.  A  plant  cultivated  for  its  leaves  re- 
quires more  water  than  if  grown  for  its  flowers,  and  still 
less  is  needed  if  grown  for  its  seeds  or  fruit.  In  propor- 
tion, also,  as  the  roots  of  plants  extend  into  the  earth,  the 
less  water  at  the  surface  is  required.  Tap-rooted  plants, 
like  cotton,  when  once  established,  are  not  apt  to  suffer 
from  drought ;  but  those  with  roots  at  the  surface  only, 
need  frequent  watering.  Perennial  plants,  also,  in  general 
require  less  the  artificial  application  of  water  than  annuals. 
The  growth  of  the  former  is  merely  suspended  by  dry 
weather  for  the  time  being,  to  be  resumed  when  moisture 
is  supplied ;  but  if  water  and  the  food  of  which  it  is  the 


144  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

vehicle  be  withheld  from  annual  plants,  the  double  tax  im- 
posed upon  them  by  nature  of  forming  both  roots  and  shoots 
at  the  same  time,  can  no  longer  be  met.  Growth  being 
suspended,  the  plant  attempts  to  flower  and  ripen  seed, 
and  thus,  while  imperfectly  developed,  it  reaches  the  limit 
of  its  existence  and  dies. 

Plants  with  fleshy  or  fibrous  roots  are  impatient  of 
abundant  waterings,  yet  do  not  well  resist  drought.  Bul- 
bous and  tuberous  rooted  plants,  and  those  with  fleshy 
leaves,  can  support  drought  a  long  time  and  do  well  with 
rare  but  abundant  waterings.  Germinating  seeds  and 
young  plants  should  have  them  light  but  frequent.  In  a 
state  of  free  growth,  water  abundantly  j.  while  ripening 
fruit,  water  rarely ;  when  transplanting,  water  freely. 

The  lighter  the  soil,  the  more  frequent  and  copious  must 
be  the  supply  of  water.  So  as  the  temperature  in  summer 
becomes  elevated  and  the  days  are  clear  and  the  atmos- 
phere dry,  evaporation  increases,  while  rains  become  less 
frequent ;  hence  the  more  water"  will  have  to  be  artificially 
supplied.  At  such  times  it  must  be  given  copiously,  for 
mere  sprinklings  bake  the  soil,  and  do  more  harm  than 
good. 

When  at  rest,  as  in  the  winter  of  temperate  climates 
and  in  the  dry  season  of  the  tropics,  very  little  moisture 
in  the  earth  is  required  by  perennials,  unless  marsh  plants. 
Bulbs  in  a  state  of  rest  will  endure  almost  any  amount 
of  dryness,  and  may  even  be  exposed  to  excessive  heat, 
somewhat  resembling,  in  this  respect,  a  ripened  seed. 
Bulbs  that  have  been  kept  dry  for  some  time,  when 
again  to  be  started  into  growth,  should  receive  but  little 
water  at  first.  If  much  is  given,  it  will  be  absorbed  with- 
out being  digested,  and  stagnating  within,  will  destroy 
the  bulb.  Hence,  we  plant  bulbs  in  a  light  soil  and  on 
raised  beds,  that  the  superabundant  moisture  may  not  de- 
stroy the  roots. 

But  a  moderate  degree  of  water  is  needed  when  vegeta- 


MULCHING,   SHADING,   AXD   WATERING.  145 

tion  commences  in  the  spring,  for  the  earth  is  usually  suf- 
ficiently moist ;  but  when  they  have  started  into  growth, 
plants  should  be  abundantly  supplied,  and  the  quantity 
gradually  diminished  as  the  organization  becomes  complete. 
As  autumn  approaches,  evaporation  becomes  less,  and  the 
supply  of  water  should  be  diminished,  both  in  the  quantity 
and  frequency  of  application.  Withholding  water  gradually 
from  plants  that  are  to  be  kept  through  the  winter  will 
cause  them  to  ripen  their  shoots,  and  they  will  be  more 
likely  to  survive  the  cold  season. 

ISTo  plant,  at  any  time,  should  receive  more  moisture 
than  it  can  consume  either  by  assimilation,  or  rejection  in 
the  form  of  perspiration.  Plants  with  large,  broad  leaves, 
like  tobacco,  squashes,  etc.,  expose  more  surface  to  the 
light  and  sun,  perspire  freely,  and  hence  need  more  water 
than  those  with  small,  pinnate  leaves,  like  the  acacia,  or 
than  succulent,  or  fleshy  plants,  a  class  that  requires  but 
little  water  at  any  time,  and  is  very  impatient  of  an  exces- 
sive supply,  especially  in  winter. 

Watering  artificially  is  resorted  to  in  order  to  maintain  a 
proper  degree  of  humidity  in  the  soil.  This  is  indispen- 
sable in  hot-houses,  etc.,  and  with  all  plants  in  pots.  With 
these  the  protection  of  the  glass  assists  in  keeping  the  air 
about  the  plants  in  a  state  of  humidity. 

But  in  open  air  culture,  artificial  watering  can  never  be 
so  beneficial  as  natural  rain,  and  is  often,  indeed,  a  real 
disadvantage  to  plants. 

Artificial  watering,  with  all  its  disadvantages,  must,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  be  resorted  to  in  hot  climates,  or  the 
results  of  gardening  will  often  be  quite  unsatisfactoiy. 
In  giving  it,  the  conditions  of  beneficial,  natural  water- 
ing should  as  far  as  possible  be  observed.  The  rains  that 
are  most  refreshing  to  plants  are  those  of  mild  tempera- 
ture and  which  distil  gently,  bringing  to  the  roots  of 
plants  not  moisture  only,  but  ammonia  and  carbonic  acid. 
If  rain  did  not  bring  with  it  fertilizing  matters,  it  would 
7 


146  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

in  time  wash  out  all  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  leave  it 
sterile.  This  is  the  effect  of  heavy,  beating  storms,  which 
carry  away  more  of  fertility  than  they  bring ;  while  if  the 
soil  be  stiff  they  puddle  the  surface,  rendering  it,  when  dry, 
impervious,  preventing  the  access  of  atmospheric  air  and 
the  moisture  of  the  dew  and  of  any  gentle  rains  that  fol- 
low. 

Hence,  in  applying  water,  it  should  not  be  thrown  upon 
the  soil  with  force  from  a  coarsely  perforated  watering 
pot,  as  its  effects  would  be  injurious  in  precisely  the  same 
way  as  a  washing  rain.  To  tender  plants  and  germinating 
seeds  it  should  be  applied  through  a  very  fine  rose.  The 
rose  to  a  garden  watering-pot  should  not  permit  a  com- 
mon pin  to  enter  its  perforations.  For  delicate  seedlings 
in  pots  it  is  better  to  give  water  by  sprinkling  gently  from 
a  wetted  brush,  both  the  plants  and  the  soil.  For 
larger  plants  in  pots  or  in  the  ground,  the  leaves  may  be 
sprinkled,  unless  too  succulent,  but  the  main  supply  of  wa- 
ter should  be  given  by  pouring  it  gently  upon  the  sides 
of  the  pot  or  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  let  it  flow 
gradually  over  and  sink  into  the  soil. 

It  is  not  best,  in  general,  to  water  close  by  the  stems  of 
plants.  The  roots  take  up  food  only  at  their  extremities, 
and  generally  extend  as  far  as  the  branches.  Both  the 
roots  and  leaves  of  plants  require  water,  and  receive  it  in 
natural  watering.  But  the  rains  that  fall  upon  a  tree  do  not 
fall  upon  its  trunk,  but  roll  off  all  around  it,  and  drop  pre- 
cisely where  the  extending  roots  are  ready  to  take  it  up. 
Watering  directly  at  the  base  of  a  plant,  close  to  its  stem 
and  collar,  will  be  likely  to  rot  or  injure  that  vital  part,  and 
small,  delicate  plants  are  pretty  sure  to  damp  off.  Thus 
applied,  much  of  the  water  never  reaches  the  absorbing 
extremities  of  the  root.  As  a  plant  increases  in  size,  the 
farther  from  the  stem  should  the  water  be  applied. 

Vines  trained  to  verandas,  or  growing  up  under  the 
eaves  of  dwellings,  often  suffer  from  the  want  of  water  ap- 


MULCHING,   SHADING,   AND   WATERING.  147 

plied  to  the  foliage.  Trained  against  the  walls,  evapora- 
tion goes  on  very  rapidly  from  the  heat  reflected  upon 
them,  and  but  very  little  rain  falls  upon  the  foliage. 
They  also  become  covered  with  dust  and  their  pores  chok- 
ed therewith.  When  the  sun  shines  warm  and  brightly, 
plants  should  be  watered  only  about  the  roots,  for  if  ap- 
plied to  the  foliage,  the  drops,  remaining  thereon,  act  as 
so  many  burning  glasses,  and  scorch  the  leaves,  covering 
them  with  brown  spots  wherever  the  water  rests.  But 
in  the  spring,  when  the  earth  is  moist,  if  the  air  is  dry,  and 
indeed  at  all  times  when  the  atmosphere  is  dry,  and  par- 
ticularly when  plants  become  covered  with  dust,  they  will 
be  greatly  refreshed  by  syringing  or  sprinkling  the  foliage 
in  the  evening  or  morning,  if  their  leaves  are  not  suscep- 
tible of  change  by  humidity. 

Plants  in  pots  should  be  watered  frequently  and  little 
at  a  time.  If  the  ball  has  become  dry,  do  not  deluge  it 
at  once,  as  it  will  flow  directly  through  the  pot  or  out  at 
the  sides,  carrying  with  it  the  richness  of  the  soil,  while 
the  ball  still  remains  dry.  Give  it  a  little  water,  and  when 
that  soaks  up,  give,  a  few  minutes  after,  a  little  more,  until 
the  entire  ball  is  in  a  suitable  state  of  humidity.  The 
drainage  must  be  good,  or  if  much  water  is  given  to  plants 
in  pots,  the  soil  will  become  heavy,  water-logged,  and  im- 
pervious to  the  atmosphere. 

The  best  water  to  use  is  rain  water,  caught  in  open  cis- 
terns, as  it  is  well  aerated  and  abounds  in  ammonia  and  fer- 
tilizing gases.  If  spring  or  well  water  must  be  used,  add 
a  very  little  guano,  say  a  pound  or  two  to  twenty  gallons 
of  water,  giving  the  smaller  quantity  to  delicate  plants, 
and  the  larger  to  gross  feeders,  and  before  using  let  it 
stand  a  few  hours.  Manure  from  the  hen  roost  in  double 
quantity  may  be  substituted  for  guano.  For  sprinkling 
the  foliage,  pure  water  is  better. 

The  temperature  of  water,  too,  must  be  regarded.  The 
good  effects  of  bottom  heat  in  hot-beds,  or  of  artificial 


148  GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

heat  in  green-houses,  are  often  entirely  counteracted,  and 
plant  growth  brought  to  a  stand,  by  watering  with  cold 
water.  It  is  not  only  the  lowering  the  temperature  of 
the  roots  of  plants,  but  the  suddenness  of  the  change 
that  is  injurious  and  often  fatal.  Water  should  always 
be  applied  a  few  degrees  warmer  than  the  soil,  that  growth 
may  be  promoted  and  not  checked. 

As  to  the  time  of  day  at  which  water  should  be  given, 
unless  applied  quite  freely,  it  does  little  good  in  the  heat 
of  a  summer's  day,  as  the  hot  atmosphere  drinks  up  the 
moisture  before  the  plant  can  imbibe  it.  The  effect  of 
rain  can  be  best  secured  by  watering  just  at  night,  when 
the  falling  dew  will,  in  some  measure,  prevent  evaporation 
from  the  plants,  and  they  get  fully  refreshed  during  the 
night.  But  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  to  water  in  the  even- 
ing in  dry  weather  darkens  the  soil,  and,  therefore,  increas- 
es radiation.  Evaporation  is  also  greatly  increased ;  the  tem- 
perature sinks  rapidly,  the  plants  are  chilled,  if  not  frozen, 
and  make  less  growth  than  if  not  watered  at  all.  So,  also, 
in  autumn,  for  the  same  reason,  at  those  times  water  only  in 
the  morning,  and  the  heat  of  the  soil  will  not  be  materially 
lowered,  the  sun's  rays  communicating  fresh  warmth. 

It  should  be  the  great  object  of  the  gardener  to  avoid 
the  necessity  of  watering,  by  shading  the  earth  or  the  plants 
themselves,  by  mulching,  top-dressing,  or  sun  shades.  Seeds 
will  come  up  much  more  satisfactorily  in  the  open  ground 
if  shaded,  than  if  one  depends  upon  watering.  If  water- 
ing is  resorted  to  at  all,  it  should  be  given  copiously  and 
the  supply  kept  up  until  the  plants  are  established.  After 
watering,  the  ground  should  be  stirred  about  the  plants,  if 
up,  as  soon  as  it  is  sufficiently  dry,  and  never  allowed  to 
become  hard.  A  mulching  of  leaf  mould  is  desirable,  to 
keep  the  surface  in  a  proper  state,  and  if  applied  when  the 
surface  is  wet,  it  will  prevent  the  necessity  of  repeated  wa- 
terings.— (De  Candolle,  Lindley,  MJIntosh.) 

Summer  Cultivation. — If  before  seeds  are  planted,  the 


MULCHING,   SHADING,  AND  WATERING.  149 

soil  be  deeply  moved  and  finely  pulverized,  the  labor  neces- 
sary in  the  subsequent  culture  of  garden  crops  is  greatly 
diminished.  Still  the  hoe  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  and 
the  soil  is  stirred  therewith  among  our  growing  crops,  in 
order  that  the  earth  may  be  kept  in  a  light  and  permeable 
state,  so  that  the  roots  of  plants  may  extend  freely  through 
it  in  search  of  food.  If  kept  in  this  condition,  water  de- 
posited by  rain  and  dew  is  imbibed  more  readily  and  sinks 
more  deeply  into  the  soil,  supplying  plants  both  with  moist- 
ure and  ammonia.  Moisture  from  beneath  is  also  more  free- 
ly supplied  by  capillary  attraction  from  the  subsoil  if  the 
earth  is  kept  in  a  light,  porous  state.  The  atmosphere,  la- 
den with  nutritive  gases,  freely  penetrates  the  soil  and  de- 
posits nourishment  within  reach  of  the  young  rootlets  of 
plants.  By  the  same  process  weeds  are  destroyed,  their 
growth  prevented,  and  there  is  also  a  thorough  pulveriza- 
tion and  intermixture  with  the  soil  of  the  manures  which 
have  been  applied. 

Judgment  as  to  the  time  and  manner  of  hoeing  must  be 
exercised.  Even  hoeing  may  do  harm — but  there  is  more 
danger  that  it  will  not  be  done  sufficiently  often,  than  per- 
formed imperfectly.  In  a  hot  and  a  dry  climate,  hoe  less 
deeply  than  in  those  that  are  cold  and  moist,  as  hoeing  fa- 
vors evaporation,  and  this  may  prove  injurious  where  the 
sun  is  hot  and  the  rains  are  not  frequent.  So  in  spring,  hoe 
more  deeply  and  frequently  than  when  the  season  becomes 
advanced.  A  heavy,  argillaceous  soil  should  be  more  deep- 
ly moved  than  one  more  sandy.  Where  a  poor  soil  has 
been  recently  manured,  it  should  not  be  hoed  too  deeply,  but 
the  compost  should  be  allowed  to  remain  intermixed  with 
the  surface  soil. 

In  practice  the  plants  cultivated  and  their  stage  of  ad- 
vancement must  also  be  considered.  Plants  with  long  tap- 
roots, like  beets  and  carrots,  are  benefited  by  deep  hoeing, 
which  might  be  injurious  to  those  with  fibrous  and  spread- 
ing roots.  Among  the  latter,  deep  culture  between  the 


150  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

rows  is  beneficial,  so  long  as  the  plants  are  young  and  their 
roots  not  extended ;  but  when  they  begin  to  shade  much 
of  the  surface,  and  to  occupy  most  of  the  soil  with  their 
roots,  merely  loosening  the  immediate  surface,  at  the  same 
time  destroying  all  weeds,  will  be  quite  sufficient. 

All  garden  crops,  then,  should  be  frequently  and  deeply 
hoed  early  in  the  season,  and  in  the  early  stages  of  their 
growth.  Even  to  suppress  the  weeds  which  spring  up  freely 
in  the  moist  soil  at  that  time  requires  frequent  and  thorough 
hoeing.  Of  course  hoeing,  or  moving  the  soil  in  any  way,  is 
not  to  be  undertaken  while  it  is  wet.  When  young  seed- 
ling plants  first  appear,  the  earth  must  be  lightly  stirred 
about  them,  to  break  up  any  crust  upon  the  surface  that 
may  have  formed.  Take  care  not  to  injure  the  young 
plants,  though  at  this  time  the  mutilation  of  a  few  roots,  if 
the  most  of  them  are  unhurt,  is  easily  repaired ;  and  the 
plant  is  not  so  much  injured  by  their  loss  as  benefited  by 
that  thorough  pulverization  of  the  soil,  that  permits  the 
free  extension  of  the  roots,  and  opens  it  to  the  air  and 
night  dews. 

At  this  time  all  weeds  should  be  removed,  and  the  plants 
thinned  to  an  inch  apart,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  each 
other.  When  they  have  made  a  little  more  growth,  and 
there  is  less  danger  of  insects  and  other  disasters,  they 
should  be  thinned  to  the  proper  distance  and  hoed  more 
deeply,  taking  care  not  to  cover  or  injure  the  young  plants. 
After  this  continue  to  keep  the  soil  light  and  open,  of  course 
destroying  all  weeds. 

In  heavy  loams,  watering  or  dashing  rains  will  frequently 
puddle  the  surface,  which  bakes  in  the  sun  so  effectually  as 
to  exclude  the  atmosphere.  The  rains  that  follow  flow  off 
without  sinking  into  and  moistening  the  soil.  But  a  soil 
which,  soon  after  each  rain,  while  not  too  wet,  is  freshly 
hoed,  will,  at  all  times,  present  an  open,  porous,  finely  pul- 
verized surface,  ready  for  the  absorption  of  plant  food  from 


MULCHING,   SHADING,   AND   WATERING.  151 

the  atmosphere,  and  easily  permeable  to  the  roots  of 
plants  in  search  of  it. 

As  the  plants  increase  in  size,  the  ground  is  shaded  by 
their  foliage,  which,  in  a  measure,  prevents  the  growth  of 
weeds  and  protects  the  surface  of  the  soil  from  being  hard- 
ened by  the  sun.  At  this  time  hoeing  is  less  required,  nor 
can  it  be  performed  without  considerable  mutilation  of  the 
branches  and  larger  roots,  and  thus  cutting  off  in  part  their 
communication  with  the  soil — injuries  from  which  plants  in 
an  advanced  stage  of  growth,  and  under  the  burning  heat 
of  summer  do  not  readily  recover. 

It  is  not  fully  decided  whether  the  soil  should  be  fre- 
quently stirred  during  droughts.  Our  present  opinion  is, 
that  in  all  warm  climates  it  should,  at  such  times,  be  un- 
disturbed. If  the  earth  be  already  loose  and  in  fine  tilth,  the 
air  that  enters  into  its  pores  will  deposit  its  moisture  there- 
in. At  night  the  dews  are  deposited  much  more  heavily 
•  upon  freshly  dug  soil.  But  this  deposit  of  atmospheric 
moisture  will  avail  little  if  the  surface  is  often  stirred,  as 
more  water  will  be  given  off  by  day  than  is  absorbed  at 
night ;  and  a  plot  frequently  hoed  during  a  drought  would 
at  length  become  quite  dry  to  nearly  the  depth  it  was  cul- 
tivated. However  it  may  be  in  England,  here  no  deposit 
of  moisture  from  night  dews,  or  supply  brought  up  by  ca- 
pillary attraction  from  beneath,  can  make  good  the  loss  of 
water  by  evaporation  from  the  soil  in  a  hot  summer  day. 
De  Candolle  says  that  in  most  hot  countries  frequent  hoe- 
ings  are  avoided,  as  they  really  have  the  evil  of  favoring 
evaporation  of  moisture  from  the  soil  at  the  time  when,  the 
heat  being  most  intense,  the  water  is  naturally  retained 
therein  by  the  hardening  of  its  surface,  and  would  act  with 
most  activity, in  decomposing  and  dissolving  the  organic 
matters  it  contains.  The  true  course  is  deep,  thorough  cul- 
ture early  in  the  season  and  while  plants  are  young.  But 
hoeing  must  not  be  performed  in  spring  or  autumn,  at  times 
when  the  indications  are  that  frosty  nights  will  follow,  as 


152  GAEDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

tender  plants  are  much  more  likely  to  be  killed  thereby  from 
the  increased  evaporation  at  the  surface  of  fresh  dug  soil. 
Through  the  summer,  after  each  good  rain,  as  soon  as  the 
ground  will  do  to  work,  stir  the  surface  and  kill  the  weeds, 
leaving  it  in  a  light,  friable  condition,  to  be  undisturbed,  un- 
less to  destroy  any  weeds  that  appear,  until  another  rain 
renders  further  hoeing  necessary.  Continue  this  until  the 
plants  approach  blossoming,  or  begin  to  cover  the  ground, 
after  which  hoeing,  if  performed  at  all,  must  be  as  shallow 
as  possible.  A  soil  thus  managed  is  always  open  to  atmos- 
pheric influences,  and  what  moisture  it  may  have  or  receive 
is  better  retained. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

PROTECTION    FROM    FROST. 

Late  spring  frosts  are  the  terror  of  gardeners.  In  sec- 
tions of  country  subject  to  them,  tender  plants  should  not 
be  planted  early.  As  mulched  or  newly  dug  soils  are  much 
more  liable  to  the  white  frosts  of  spring,  mulching  should 
not  be  applied  to  Irish  potatoes,  etc.,  until  danger  of  frosts 
is  over,  nor  should  tender  plants  be  hoed  when  a  change 
to  cold  may  be  anticipated.  If  a  frost  is  apprehended, 
plants  in  hills  are  best  protected  with  boxes,  vine  shields, 
or  plant  protectors  placed  over  them.  Rows  of  beans  or 
potatoes  can  be  secured  by  covering  them  with  wide 
plank  placed  on  blocks  two  or  three  inches  above  the 
plants.  "  Almost  all  the  modes  of  protecting  plants  are 
founded  on  the  doctrine  of  radiation,  and  hence  the  fact 
Should  be  kept  constantly  in  mind  that  all  bodies  placed 
in  a  medium  colder  than  themselves  are  continually  giv- 
ing out  their  heat  in  straight  lines,  and  that  these  straight 


PROTECTION  FROM  FROST.  .       153 

lines,  when  the  body  is  surrounded  by  air,  may  always  be 
reflected  back  upon  the  body  from  which  they  emanate  by 
the  slightest  covering  placed  at  a  short  distance  from  them ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  if  this  slight  covering  be  placed 
close  to  the  body,  instead  of  reflecting  back  the  heat  it 
will  carry  it  off  by  conduction,  that  is,  the  heat  will  pass 
off  through  the  covering  closely  applied,  and  be  radiated 
from  its  surface."  (Daniel.)  Hence  the  covering  or  pro- 
tection given  is  far  more  efficient  if  it  enclose  a  stratum 
of  air  without  actually  touching  the  plant. 

When  , plants  are  actually  frozen,  in  many  cases  they 
may  be  saved  if  they  can  be  thawed  gradually  without  ex- 
posure to  the  sun.  To  effect  this,  if  coverings  are  applied 
before  sunrise,  or  the  plants  are  sprinkled  repeatedly  with 
water  until  the  frost  is  extracted,  they  generally  escape 
without  serious  injury.  If  a  frosty  night  is  followed  by  a 
cloudy  or  foggy  morning,  injury  to  plants  need  not  be  ap- 
prehended. 

Fruit  trees  and  vines  in  blossom,  or  with  young  fruit 
set,  are  in  some  large  districts  so  liable  to  suffer  from  late 
spring  frost,  that  fruit  bearing,  in  the  case  of  those  first 
to  bloom,  is  the  exception.  The  crop  is  lost  perhaps  two 
years  out  of  three.  It  is  seldom  in  the  most  frosty  locali- 
ties that  they  are  endangered  more  than  two  or  three 
nights  in  a  season,  all  the  fruit  of  the  peach  being  rarely 
killed  until  it  begins  to  enlarge,  and  the  blossom  is  on  the 
wane.  Such  trees  are  too  large  to  admit  of  being  cover- 
ed. They  can,  however,  be  fully  protected  by  smoke.  Or- 
dinary smoke  in  still,  frosty  nights,  rises  rapidly,  and  to 
be  of  any  service,  it  must  settle  over  the  trees  in  a  mod- 
erately dense  cloud,  acting  as  a  screen  and  preventing 
radiation.  A  heavy,  damp  smoke,  not  rising  rapidly,  in 
which  the  trees  are  kept  fully  enveloped  until  some  time 
after  sunrise,  is  what  is  necessary  to  protect  a  fruit  garden. 
A  slight  frost  will  do  fruit  blossoms  little  injury,  and  there 
are  some,  which,  like  those  of  the  Forelle  pear,  will  bear  a 

7* 


154  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

good  many  more  degrees  of  cold  than  others.  "When  a 
severe  frost  is  pretty  certain,  billets  of  short,  dry  wood,  fat 
light  wood,  and  piles  of  wet  tan,  saw-dust,  or  other  damp 
trash,  should  be  distributed  about  2  rods  apart  over  the  fruit 
garden,  and  the  most  to  the  windward.  The  tan  or  trash 
should  be  distributed  during  the  winter.  About  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  is  soon  enough  to  start  the  fires, 
each  of  which  is  made  with  three  or  four  of  the  billets, 
being  kindled  with  the  light  wood.  When  well  lighted, 
put  on  and  nearly  smother  it  with  the  wet  tan.  If  it 
again  break  out  into  a  blaze,  apply  more  tan,  and  keep  up 
damp,  smouldering  fires,  and  a  curtain  of  smoke  over  the 
trees  until  the  sun  is  well  up  and  the  frost  fully  extracted. 
If  the  fruit  is  frozen  hard  as  bullets,  have  no  fears,  but 
keep  up  a  dense  smoke.  By  this  mode  of  applying  smoke 
the  peach  crop  can  be  saved  every  year.  There  is  no 
doubt  about  it.  When  a  boy,  thirty-five  years  ago,  we  ate 
of  pears  thus  saved  by  an  uncle  of  ours,  and  have  our- 
selves since  repeatedly  practiced  it  and  seen  it  tried  by 
others.  Our  Gardening  was  the  first  English  work,  so  far 
as  we  know,  in  which  this  mode  of  protection  was  publish- 
ed, though  French  authors,  we  find,  allude  to  the  process. 
Boussingault  says  it  is  as  old  as  the  Incas  of  Peru.  The 
peach  crop  has  thus  been  preserved  with  the  mercury  as 
low  as  24°  on  the  morning  of  March  27th,  arid  the  blos- 
soms mostly  fallen.  Without  such  protection  few  good 
varieties  of  the  peach  are  safe  with  the  mercury  below 
30°.  The  expense  of  the  operation  is  but  a  trifle,  com- 
pared with  the  value  of  a  fine  crop  of  fruit  in  a  locality 
where  all,  not  thus  protected,  is  cut  off. 

Winter  protection  is  also  necessary  for  the  preservation 
of  many  valuable  plants,  the  limits  within  which  they  are 
naturally  found  being  much  narrower  than  those  within 
which  they  can  be  grown  in  perfection  with  a  little,  pro- 
tection. Besides  ordinary  bedding  plants  which  are  stored 
during  the  winter  in  pits  or  other  structures,  and  again 


PEOTECTION   FKOM   FKOST.  155 

occupy  the  beds  and  borders  when  danger  of  frost  is  over, 
there  is  a  large  class  of  plants,  that,  with  a  slight  protec- 
tion where  they  stand,  will  pass  the  winter  safely  and 
throw  up  much  more  vigorous  shoots  than  if  taken  up 
and  replanted.  A  friend  of  ours  succeeds  perfectly  with 
tlie  fig  in  Pennsylvania  by  bending  down  the  limbs  yearly 
and  covering  them  with  earth ;  and  with  no  protection,  in 
Georgia,  they  are  occasionally  killed  to  the  ground. 

Ordinary  herbaceous  plants  need  no  protection,  unless 
they  have  been  divided  or  transplanted  in  autumn.  Those 
that  are  more  tender  may  have  their  roots  and  crowns 
protected  with  moss,  straw,  or  coarse  stable  manure,  not 
placed  so  thick  as  to  heat.  Leaves,  if  employed,  will  re- 
quire a  little  soil  or  brush  thrown  over  to  keep  them  in 
place.  Tender  bulbs  are  protected  in  the  same  way.  If 
the  foliage  is  evergreen,  it  must  not  be  smothered  with 
too  thick  a  covering. 

Shrubby  plants  may  have  their  roots  well  covered  thus, 
and  their  stems  bound  with  straw  or  moss.  For  small 
shrubs,  a  few  evergreen  boughs  thrown  over  them  is  a  good 
protection ;  larger  ones  may  have  their  branches  drawn 
together  and  wound  with  straw.  Tender  roses  may  have 
tan -bark  or  saw-dust  banked  up  about  their  stems,  to  be 
removed  in  spring. 

Climbing  plants,  if  tender,  must  be  taken  down  and 
laid  upon  the  soil  to  be  covered  with  leaves  or  earth. 

There  is  some  danger,  where  much  litter  is  used,  of 
harboring  vermin.  Many  things  are  better  protected  by 
bending  a  few  hoops  across  the  bed  with  three  or  four 
laths  lying  on  them,  on  which  is  thrown  a  cloth  or  mat- 
ting in  severe  weather.  Pansies,  carnations,  and  stocks, 
are  thus  generally  protected,  giving  them  light  and  air  in 
mild  weather.  Flower  pots,  sun  shades,  vine  shields,  and 
wooden  frames,  covered  with  canvas  or  oiled  paper,  are 
all  useful  in  protecting  low  plants.  Boxes  and  barrels  are 
convenient  for  larger  ones.  None  of  these  must  touch 


156  GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

the  plant  they  cover,  as  they  would  conduct  the  heat  away 
from  what  they  touched.  The  main  object  of.  these  cov> 
erings  is  to  confine  the  air  and  protect  the  surface  from 
radiating  heat. 

All  plants  will  endure  more  frost  uninjured  in  a  dry, 
well-drained  soil.  In  low,  damp  locations,  plants,  else- 
where considered  hardy,  are  frequently  killed  by  frost. 
They  are  also  much  more  easily  injured  directly  after  a 
mild  term  starts  them  into  growth. 


CHAPTER     XV. 

INSECTS  AND  VERMIN. 

To  these  numerous  and  most  destructive  foes  all  our 
gardens  are  exposed.  ISTo  plant  and  no  part  of  a  plant  is 
exempt  from  their  attacks.  One  devours  its  tender  leaf 
as  it  issues  from  the  ground ;  another  preys  upon  the  root, 
and  the  plant  perishes ;  another  burrows  into  the  stem, 
boring  it  in  every  direction  until  it  is  broken  off  by  the 
wind.  The  caterpillar  preys  upon  the  leaves  when  it  gets 
more  mature,  while  the  black  grub  cuts  off  the  young 
plant  just  as  it  is  shooting  into  growth.  Some  feed  upon 
the  flowers,  while  others  devour  the  matured  fruit  or  seed. 

Insects  are  on  the  increase  in  American  gardens,  partly 
from  the  fact  that  the  destruction  of  forest  trees  and  wild 
plants  has  driven  them  to  the  cultivated  ones  for  food, 
(the  apple  tree  borer,  for  instance,  originally  subsisting  on 
the  thorn,)partly  from  being  constantly  imported  from  all 
other  countries  from  which  seeds  and  plants  are  brought, 
and  partly  from  the  diminution  of  birds  and  other  enemies 
by  which  they  are  naturally  held  in  check. 


INSECTS   AND   VERMIN.  157 

Insects  are  the  most  extensive  class  of  animals.  They 
are  destitute  of  an  internal  skeleton,  but  possess  a  sort  of 
external  one,  serving  both,  for  skin  and  bones,  and  divided 
into  numerous  segments  connected  together  by  slender 
points  of  attachment.  They  all  have  six  or  more  articu- 
lated legs,  and  are  generally  oviparous,  or  produced  from 
eggs.  They  possess  sight,  hearing,  smell,  and  touch  at 
least, — senses  in  common  with  those  of  the  superior  animals. 
They  do  not  breathe  through  the  mouth  or  nostrils,  but 
through  vessels,  for  the  reception  of  air,  called  spiracula, 
placed  along  each  side  of  the  body. 

Nearly  all  insects  have  four  stages  of  existence.  First, 
eggs  which  hatch  into  larvae ;  these  change  into  pupae, 
where  they  remain  dormant  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period, 
and  from  which  they  emerge  at  last  as  perfect  insects. 
Some  insects,  however,  bring  forth  their  young  alive,  as 
well  as  deposit  eggs.  In  others,  as  the  Orthoptera,  or 
grasshopper  family,  the  young  has  nearly  the  form  of  a  per- 
fect insect.  Some  insects  are  injurious  to  plants  only  in 
one  stage  of  their  existence,  others  at  all  times,  when  not 
in  a  dormant  state. 

A  knowledge  of  the  habits  and  transformations  of  in- 
sects is  necessary  to  detect  how  and  at  what  period  of 
their  existence  they  can  best  be  destroyed,  or  in  what  man 
ner  vegetation  can  best  be  shielded  from  their  attacks. 

By  many  insects  plants  are  at  once  destroyed ;  by  others 
wounds  are  inflicted  that  end  in  a  diseased  condition  of 
the  parts  affected,  which  is  communicated  to  the  whole 
plant.  Plants  in  a  weak  or  diseased  state  are  far  more 
liable  to  be  attacked  by  insects  than  those  which  are 
healthy  and  vigorous. 

Various  remedies  are  proposed  when  plants  are  attacked 
by  insects,  among  which  those  most  generally  applicable 
are  dusting  the  leaves  with  quicklime,  sulphur,  snuff, 
soot,  dust  impregnated  with  the  oil  of  turpentine.  Also 
sprinkling  or  washing  the  plants  with  water  heated  to 


158  GARDENING   FOE   THE   SOUTH. 

130°  ;  or  with  infusions  of  aloes,  tobacco,  quassia,  China 
berries;  also  with  soapsuds,  especially  that  made  from 
whale  oil  soap,  guano  dissolved  in  water,  fumigating  with 
tobacco  smoke,  etc. 

A  camphor  and  aloes  preparation  is  also  found  service- 
able for  sprinkling  plants,  and  was  first  recommended  by 
Dr.  Batty,  of  Georgia,  in  the  Southern  Cultivator,  and  is 
thus  prepared :  Put  into  a  barrel  of  water  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  camphor,  in  pieces  the  size  of  a  hickory  nut ;  fill 
with  water  and  let  it  stand  a  day,  and  with  this  water  your 
plants,  and  fill  the  barrel  for  the  next  watering.  The 
camphor  is  slowly  dissolved,  and  will  last  a  long  time.  If 
the  camphor  water  is  too  weak,  add  to  a  barrel  of  water  a 
cupful  or  more  of  strong  lye,  and  more  will  dissolve.  Add 
also  a  pound  of  cheap  cape  aloes  to  a  gallon  of  lye  (or 
water  in  which  a  pound  of  saleratus  or  potash  has  been 
dissolved) ;  add  a  pint  of  this  to  a  barrel  of  water,  and 
use  as  the  camphor  water.  Camphor  and  aloes  (especially 
the  former)  are  offensive  to  most  insects. 

Preventive  measures  are  of  more  value  than  remedial, 
in  protecting  plants  from  insects.  Among  those  most 
likely  to  be  of  value,  are  the  following : 

Rotation  of  Crops, — Each  species  of  insect  generally 
feeds  on  the  same  species  of  plant,  or  at  least  on  plants  of 
the  same  natural  family ;  hence  a  constant  change  of  crop 
prevents  the  forthcoming  brood  from  finding  their  proper 
food,  and  many  of  them  perish.  This  is,  however,  more 
applicable  in  the  case  of  field  crops,  than  in  orchards  and 
gardens. 

Decaying  Trees. — Destroy  all  decaying  trees  in  the 
neighborhood  of  orchards  and  gardens,  as  they  are  often 
a  refuge,  and  tend  to  propagate  insects  destructive  to  the 
neighboring  crops. 

Scraping  of  the  rough  bark  of  trees,  and  washing  them 
with  tobacco  water,  lime  water,  or  a  wash  of  lime,  sulphur 


INSECTS    AND   VERMIN.  159 

and  clay,  or  a  solution  of  potash,  destroys  the  hiding 
places  of  insects,  and  many  of  the  insects  themselves,  which 
infest  trees. 

Birds  aiid  Other  Animals. — The  encouragement  of  in- 
sectivorous birds  and  other  animals,  instead  of  their 
thoughtless  and  injurious  destruction,  is  one  of  the  most 
promising  methods  of  lessening  the  insect  tribes.  A  single 
pair  of  breeding  swallows,  Bradley  has  calculated,  destroy 
over  three  thousand  worms  in  a  week.  Toads  live  almost 
entirely  upon  insects,  and  do  not  injure  plants.  A  large 
class  of  insects  also  live  entirely  upon  insects  that  are 
injurious  to  plants,  and  should  be  encouraged. 

Lime  and  Salt. — Dressing  the  soil  with  lime,  sowing 
in  autumn  six  or  eight  bushels  of  salt  to  the  acre,  turning 
over  the  soil  and  exposing  it  to  frost  just  before  winter, 
or  during  the  winter  months  when  the  ground  is  open, 
are  all  found  to  be  beneficial.  Rolling  the  surface  soil 
smooth  when  crops  are  planted  destroys  the  hiding  places 
of  many  insects,  and  renders  them  less  destructive. 

Any  insect  peculiarly  injurious  must  be  watched  as  to 
its  habits,  mode  of  feeding,  and  its  transformations,  in  or- 
der to  discover  where  it  may  be  most  successfully  attacked. 

As  healthy  plants  are  less  subject  to  attack,  keep  the 
ground  in  good  order,  sow  good  seed,  cultivate  thorough- 
ly, and  the  crop  will  be  less  endangered. 

Fires, — Insects  also  maybe  destroyed  and  their  increase 
prevented  by  bonfires  of  brush,  just  after  dark,  which  will 
attract  and  destroy  immense  numbers  of  moths  and 
beetles. 

"  Erect  a  post  in  the  centre  of  the  garden,  on  which 
nail  a  platform  of  planks  some  thirty  inches  square,  which 
cover  with  sand ;  on  this  build  nightly  a  fire  of  fat  light 
wood  for  some  weeks,  from  the  time  that  moths,  millers, 
and  butterflies  begin  to  infest  the  garden.  Large  numbers 
will  fly  into  the  fire  and  be  consumed." 


160  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

TrapSi — Hang  up  common  porter  bpttles,  though  wide- 
mouthed  bottles  are  preferable,  during  the  insect  season, 
with  a  few  spoonfuls  of  sweetened  water  or  molasses  and 
vinegar  in  them,  to  be  renewed  every  second  evening,  and 
hundreds  of  moths  that  would  have  been  the  parents  of  a 
new  race  of  destroyers  will  be  caught.  This  is  the  most 
promising  mode  of  waging  war  also  upon  the  melon-worm, 
as  well  as  the  corn  and  boll- worm,  and  many  other  insects. 
For  filling  the  bottles,  a  better  preparation  still  is  a  pint  of 
water  to  half  a  pint  of  molasses,  the  water  having  as  much 
cobalt  dissolved  in  it  as  it  will  take  up  before  mixing  with 
the  molasses.  Put  a  wineglassful  to  each  bottle,  and 
empty  once  or  twice  a  week.  Mr.  Downing  mentions  an 
acquaintance  who,  using  the  molasses  and  water  only  one 
season,  caught  and  exterminated  three  bushels  of  insects 
in  this  manner,  and  preserved  his  garden  almost  free  from 
them.  Mr.  Robinson,  of  New  Haven,  caught  over  a  peck 
in  one  night. 

Hand-picking1. — In  some  cases,  the  only  effectual  mode 
is  hand-picking.  If  the  leaf-roller,  the  beetle,  or  the  grub 
is  crushed  under  foot,  by  preventing  reproduction,  a  thous- 
and enemies  are  destroyed  at  once. 

Descriptions  of  the  principal  insects,  and  the  means  of 
destroying  them  will  be  found  in  that  portion  of  the 
work  which  treats  of  the  plants  which  they  attack. 

Mice  may  be  caught  in  traps,  or  poisoned  with  arsenic ; 
but  the  latter  is  dangerous  if  fowls  or  children  have  access 
to  the  garden. 

MolCS  are  often  very  troublesome  in  undermining  beds 
of  cuttings  or  young  plants  in  search  of  worms  and  insects. 
They  may  be  caught  in  various  traps  sold  for  the  purpose, 
but  by  putting  tarred  sticks  in  their  burrows  they  will  be 
driven  from  them.  Salting  the  soil  is  fatal  to  many  insects 
that  are  the  food  of  the  mole. 

Hares  and  Rabbits  are  very  destructive  to  trees  and 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  161 

garden  vegetables  in  all  country  places,  and  even  in  towns 
we  do  not  escape  ;  they  can  be  repelled  by  a  tight  board 
fence,  or  a  close  hedge  of  the  Macartney  rose.  Choice 
trees  can  be  bound  up  in  straw  during  the  winter,  or  in  an 
envelope  of  chestnut  bark  slipped  over  the  stem. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

VEGETABLES— DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE. 
ARTICHOKE,— (Cynara  Scofymus,) 

The  garden  artichoke  is  a  perennial  plant,  a  native  of 
the  south  of  Europe,  where  it  has  been  in  cultivation  from 
the  time  of  the  Romans.  Columella  mentions  it,  and  says 
its  name — Cynara — is  from  cinere  (ashes),  because  the  soil 
for  artichokes  should  be  dressed  with  ashes.  The  plant 
resembles  an  overgrown  thistle,  but  is  more  beautiful ;  has 
large  pinnatifid  leaves,  three  or  four  feet  long,  covered 
with  an  ash-colored  down.  The  eatable  portion  is  the 
undeveloped  flower  head,  which  is  only  fit  for  use  before 
it  begins  to  open  its  bloom ;  it  is  about  the  size  and  some- 
what the  shape  of  a  small  pineapple. 

As  the  artichoke  is  a  native  of  a  hot  climate,  it  is  per- 
fectly adapted  to  the  temperature  of  the  South,  and  is 
hardy  throughout  the  Union.  It  adds  a  pleasant  variety 
to  our  early  summer  luxuries,  and  should  be  in  more  gen- 
eral cultivation. 

There  are  three  varieties :  the  Globe,  the  Oval  Green, 
and  the  Purple.  The  first  has  dull  purplish  heads  with 
scales  turned  in  at  the  top,  and  is  most  esteemed,  the  edi- 
ble parts  being  larger.  The  Oval  Green  is  the  hardiest 
sort,  and  has  a  conical  or  ovate  head,  with  pointed  scales 


162 


GARDENING   FOB  THE  SOUTH. 


turned  outward.  The  Purple  is  earlier  than  the  others, 
the  scales  pointed,  tinted  with  purplish  red  towards  their 
points,  but  is  not  so  good  when  cooked.  There  is  also  the 
largo  green,  which  grows  larger  than  the  common  green, 
and  is  most  esteemed  at  Paris  under  the  name  Gros  vert 
de  Laon.  The  base  of  the  scales  of  this  variety  is  quite 
thick  and  fleshy. 

The  ash  of  the  artichoke  has  been  analyzed,  and  it  is 

found  that  potash  and 
phosphoric  acid  are  the 
most  abundant  constit- 
uents, indicating  the 
application  of  ashes  and 
bone-dust  as  the  best 
special  manures. 

Propagation  and  Cul- 
ture. —  Artichokes  are 
propagated  by  seed,  or 
by  offsets  from  the  old 
roots.  If  by  seed,  sow 
in  early  spring  when  the 
poach  is  in  full  blossom, 
in  very  rich  earth,  in 
drills  an  inch  and  a  half 
deep,  and  a  foot  apart ; 
they  do  still  better  by 
sowing  them  earlier  in  a 
cold  frame.  Transplant 
them  when  from  six  to 

Fig.  60.-ARTICHOKE.  twelyc  kcfces  hig]l    into 

a  rich  soil.  If  the  beds  are  thinned  out  by  transplanting, 
so  that  the  plants  are  left  a  foot  apart  in  the  rows,  the  rest 
may  remain  in  the  seed  bed  until  fall.  The  finest  heads 
are  produced  in  a  rich,  moist  loam,  and  they  should  be 
transplanted  into  such  a  soil.  The  best  compost  is  a 
mixture  of  three  parts  well-decomposed  manure,  and  one 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUEE.  163 

of  leached  ashes.  They  require  an  open  exposure,  free 
from  the  shade  and  drip  of  trees,  or  the  plants  will  spindle 
and  produce  worthless  heads.  The  rows  must  be  four  feet 
apart,  and  the  plants  three  feet  in  the  rows.  Plants  from 
seed  are  better  and  more  permanent  than  from  offsets. 

If  propagated  by  suckers,  these  must  be  slipped  off  in 
spring  from  the  parent  plant,  retaining  as  many  fibrous 
roots  as  possible.  They  should  be  selected  when  the 
leaves  are  eight  or  ten  inches  high,  and  be  taken  only  from 
those  shoots  which  are  sound  and  strong,  and  have  al- 
ready formed  some  roots.  Uncover  the  old  stools  to  the 
origin  of  the  suckers,  of  which  from  six  to  twelve  will  be 
produced  to  each  plant.  Allow  two  or  three  of  the  best 
of  these  to  remain  ;  slip  off  the  others  with  a  heel,  from 
which  trim  off  the  rough  part  smoothly,  retaining  the 
fibrous  roots.  Remove  the  large  outside  leaves,  or  their 
exhalations  will  exhaust  the  plant  before  it  gets  rooted. 
They  are  greatly  invigorated  if  set  in  water  three  or  four 
hours  before  they  are  planted.  Set  them  in  rows,  the 
same  distance  as  above,  about  four  inches  deep,  in  holes 
made  with  a  trowrel ;  press  a  portion  of  fresh  soil  about 
their  roots  and  water  freely.  When  this  has  settled  away, 
fill  up  to  the  surface  with  soil.  Keep  sun  shades  or  shin- 
gles upon  the  south  side  of  them  a  few  days,  until  estab- 
lished, giving  water,  if  needed,  until  they  begin  to  grow. 

The  only  other  attention  they  require  during  the  sum- 
mer is  the  frequent  use  of  the  hoe.  They  will  produce 
heads  the  same  year  from  June  to  October,  and  annually 
thereafter  from  April  to  June  or  July,  accordin'g  to  the 
season.  The  quality  is  improved,  though  at  the  expense 
of  the  quantity,  by  allowing  only  the  head  surmounting 
the  main  stem  to  grow  on  each  stalk,  removing  all  the 
laterals  of  the  stem  while  young.  As  often  as  the  head 
is  cut,  the  stem  should  be  broken  down  close  to  the  root, 
to  encourage  the  production  of  suckers  before  winter. 
They  should  receive  their  winter  dressing  before  the  ground 


164  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

freezes  deeply.  Cut  away  the  old  leaves  without  injuring 
the  centre  or  side  shoots,  dig  the  ground  over,  and  throw 
the  soil  in  a  low  broad  ridge  over  each  row,  putting  it 
close  about  the  plants,  but  leaving  the  hearts  clear.  As 
soon  as  the  shoots  appear  four  or  five  inches  above  the 
surface,  the  ridges  thrown  up  must  be  levelled  and  the 
earth  removed  from  about  the  stock  to  below  the  part 
whence  the  young  shoots  spring.  Remove  all  these  shoots 
but  two,  or  at  most  three,  leaving  the  most  vigorous, 
taking  care  to  select  those  lowest  down  on  the  stock,  as 
the  strong,  thick  ones  from  the  crown  have  hard  woody 
stems,  and  produce  but  indifferent  heads. 

Although  the  artichoke  is  a  perennial,  yet  after  the  fifth 
year,  the  heads  grow  small  and  dry.  The  beds  should  in 
consequence  be  broken  up  at  this  time,  or  as  soon  as  they 
begin  to  fail,  and  fresh  ones  be  formed  on  another  site. 

As  the  newly-made  beds  come  into  flower  after  the  sea- 
son for  the  old  plants  is  over,  those  fond  of  this  vegetable 
will  prefer  to  make  a  new  plantation  every  -year. 

Artichokes  are  made  to  attain  a  much  larger  size  than 
they  otherwise  would  by  twisting  a  ligature  tightly 
around  the  stem  below  each  head,  and  thus  preventing 
the  reflux  of  the  sap. 

The  artichoke  is  much  benefited  by  the  application  of 
sea-weed  or  any  other  manure  containing  common  salt. 
This  is  probably  in  a  great  measure  because  salt  keeps  the 
soil  moist. 

Chards. — After  the  best  heads  have  been  cut,  when  old 
plantations  are  to  be  destroyed,  cut  off  the  stems  as  low 
as  possible,  and  the  leaves  within  six  inches  of  the  ground. 
When  the  new  leaves  are  two  feet  high,  blanch  them,  as 
directed  for  Cardoons,  which  many  think  they  excel. 

For  Seed. — Select  a  few  of  the  finest  heads  and  permit 
them  to  flower.  Bend  over  the  stalk  and  tie  the  head  to 
a  small  stake,  to  prevent  the  water  from  settling  among  the 
expanded  scales.  When  the  flower  has  withered,  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CCLTUEE.  165 

seeds  will  be  ripe.  One  ounce  of  the  seed  will  produce 
about  six  hundred  plants,  and  for  three  and  sometimes 
five  years  will  vegetate  freely  if  kept  cool  and  dry.  Put 
away  in  paper  bags  for  use. 

Properties  and  Use. — -The  artichoke  is  wholesome,  yet 
it  contains  but  little  nutriment,  and  is  cultivated  merely 
to  please  the  palate.  The  heads  are  sometimes  pickled. 
It  is  eaten  by  the  French  as  a  salad,  with  oil  and  vinegar, 
salt  and  pepper ;  the  bottoms  are  often  fried  in  paste  like 
the  egg  plant.  The  English  gather  them  when  they 
spread  their  scales  and  the  flower  appears  about  to  open ; 
the  whole  head  is  boiled  and  the  scales  pulled  off,  one  or 
two  at  a  time,  dipped  in  butter  and  pepper,  and  the  mealy 
part  stripped  off  with  the  teeth.  The  bottom,  when  the 
leaves  are  disposed  of,  is  eaten  with  the  knife  and  fork. 
The  flowers  have  the  properties  of  rennet  in  curdling  milk. 


ARTICHOKE,  JERUSALEM,— (HeliantTius  tuberosus.) 

This  is  a  hardy,  perennial  species  of  sun-flower,  a  native 
of  Brazil,  introduced 
into  England  in  1617, 
and  was  much  esteem- 
ed as  a  garden  vege- 
table until  the  Irish 
potato  took  its  place.  Fi£-  61-— JERUSALEM  ARTICHOKE. 

The  crops  obtained  in  good  soils  are  enormous.  The  salts 
found  in  ths  ashes  are  mainly  potash  and  lime,  the  former 
very  largely. 

Culture. — It  flourishes  best  in  a  rich,  light  soil,  with  an 
open  exposure,  but  will  thrive  in  almost  any  soil  or  loca- 
tion. Plant  in  spring  or  fall,  either  small  tubers  or  the 
large  ones,  cut  into  sets  of  one  or  two  eyes,  four  inches 


166  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

deep,  in  rows  three  and  a  half  feet  apart.  Make  the  rows 
run  north  and  south,  to  admit  the  sun,  and  put  the  plants 
eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  Keep  the  ground  free 
from  weeds  and  earth  up  slightly.  They  will  be  fit  for 
use  in  the  falJ.  Take  care  to  dig  them  up  thoroughly,  as 
the  smallest  piece  •will  vegetate.  They  will  grow  on  land 
too  poor  for  almost  anything  else.  If  the  top  be  cut  off 
one-half  way  down  in  August,  it  is  said  by  some  that  the 
size  of  the  tuber  will  be  very  much  increased  by  the  ad- 
mission of  air  and  light.  This  is  doubtful. 

Use. — The  roots  are  eaten  boiled,  mashed  with  butter, 
and  are  considerably  nutritive,  nearly  as  much  so  as  the 
Irish  potato.  It  has  a  moist,  soft  texture,  and  a  tolerably 
agreeable  taste.  It  is,  however,  rather  a  second-rate  dish. 
They  are  better  pickled  in  vinegar.  The  plant  is  most 
useful  in  feeding  cows  and  pigs,  affording  large  quantities 
of  food  from  quite  poor  soils. 


ASPARAGUS.— (Asparagus  officinalis.) 

This  plant  has  been  cultivated  as  a  garden  vegetable 
for  at  least  two  thousand  years.  Cato,  150  years  before 
Christ,  gives  a  full  detail  of  its  mode  of  culture  among 
the  Romans.  Its  culture  originated  probably  in  Greece, 
for  its  name  is  pure  Greek,  and  signifies  a  bud  not  fully 
opened ;  and  it  is  known  throughout  Europe,  by  names 
derived  or  corrupted  from  the  Greek. 

The  wild  asparagus  is  found  on  the  sea  coasts  of  most 
parts  of  Europe.  Its  stem  is  not  thicker  than  a  goose- 
quill.  From  this  wild  plant,  by  the  aid  of  manure  and 
culture,  our  delicious  garden  varieties  were  raised.  Miller 
has  succeeded  in  effecting  the  same  result  in  modern  times. 

There  are  only  two  varieties  of  any  importance,  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AXD   CULTURE.  167 

green  and  the  red-topped.  The  latter,  with  purplish  green 
shoots,  is  the  one  principally  cultivated.  There  are  some 
sub-varieties,  but  these  derive  all  their  merit  from  superior 
cultivation.  R.  Thompson  states  there  is  really  but  one 
sort  of  asparagus. 

An  analysis  of  asparagus  by  Thomas  Richardson  shows 
the  ashes  to  contain  about  TV<r  of  soda,  and  nearly  -^s  of 
chloride  of  sodium,  or  common  salt. 

In  other  analyses  the  proportion  of  soda  is  considerably 
reduced.  Asparagus,  like  some  other  plants,  has  the 
power  of  substituting  the  other  alkalies,  lime  and  potash, 
in  the  place  of  soda.  All  the  analyses  exhibit  large  pro- 
portions of  chloride  of  sodium,  or  its  elements,  chlorine  and 
sodium,  also  of  phosphoric  acid.  In  asparagus,  over  three- 
fifths  of  the  inorganic  elements  of  the  plant  are  made  up 
of  these  constituents.  This  explains  why  salt  and  sea- 
weed are  found  useful,  and  shows  that  the  application  of 
bane  manure,  or  superphosphate  of  lime,  in  connection 
with  animal  manures,  may  be  beneficial. 

Culture. — Asparagus  is  propagated  only  by  seed,  one 
ounce  of  which  will  produce  a  thousand  plants.  Sow 
quite  early  in  spring  on  a  bed  of  fresh  and  deep  sandy 
loam,  the  richer  the  better — as  free  as  possible  from  all 
shade  of  trees  or  shrubs.  Draw  the  drills  one  foot  apart, 
and  with  a  dibble  make  holes  six  inches  distant,  in  which 
drop  two  or  three  seeds.  Let  the  seed  be  covered  an  inch 
deep,  and  press  the  earth  upon  it.  If  unable  to  sow  early, 
shade  must  be  given  to  the  bed,  for  which  purpose  pine 
boughs  are. well  suited.  These  should  be  removed  at 
night  and  on  cloudy  days,  and  entirely  as  soon  as  tho 
plants  are  up. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  seed-bed  light  and  free 
from  weeds,  though  this  operation  must  be  delayed  until 
the  plants  come  up.  If  two  plants  appear  in  the  same 
place,  the  weaker  must  be  removed.  Transplanted,  these 
will  make  pretty  good  plants  by  fall.  When  the  stems 


168  GABDEXING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

are  withered,  cut  them  down  and  spread  well-rotted  stable 
dung  over  the  bed  two  inches  deep,  which  will  increase 
the  vigor  of  the  plants  the  next  year,  and  also  protect 
them  from  frost. 

Let  the  plants  remain  in  the  seed-bed  until  they  are 
about  to  grow  early  in  spring.  To  have  this  delicacy  as 
early  as  possible,  choose  a  site  where  the  bed  can  be  fully 
exposed  to  the  sun.  If  you  wish  to  prolong  its  season, 
another  bed  may  be  planted  on  a  northern  exposure.  The 
subsoil  should  be  dry,  and  if  not  naturally  so,  must  be 
well  drained.  It  must  be  dug  up  thoroughly  at  least  two 
and  a  half  feet  deep,  the  poor  soil  removed,  and  its  place 
supplied  with  rich,  light  loam. 

After  taking  out  the  soil,  the  bottom  should  be, covered 
with  at  least  six  inches  of  well-rotted  manure,  as  this  can 
never  be  reached  after  the  roots  are  once  planted.  Inter- 
mix as  much  more  throughout  the  bed,  except  the  top 
four  or  five  inches,  as  the  manure  should  not  come  in  con- 
tact with  the  fresh  roots.  Bury  your  manure  and  mix  it 
well  throughout  the  whole  depth,  as  you  can  hardly  make 
the  ground  too  rich.  Asparagus  will  grow,  it  is  true, 
without  all  this  trouble,  but  the  size,  sweetness,  and  ten- 
derness of  the  shoots,  will  pay  for  doing  the  work  in  the 
best  manner. 

The  upper  five  inches  should  be  light,  rich,  sandy  loam 
mixed  with  leaf-mould,  and  the  top  left  as  light  as  possi- 
ble. So  manured  and  deeply  dug,  the  plants  will  send 
down  their  roots  too  deeply  to  fear  a  drought.  The  plants 
should  be  carefully  taken  up  with  a  fork,  and  the  roots 
preserved  uninjured.  Select  mild,  cloudy  weather,  when 
the  ground  is  in  good  working  order,  for  it  must  not  be 
wet.  Lay  the  roots  separately  and  carefully  together, 
that  they  may  not  be  entangled  and  injured  while  plant- 
ing ;  keep  them,  while  planting,  in  a  basket  covered  with 
a  little  mould. 

Plant  your  first  row  by  straining  a  line  eight  inches 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  169 

from  the  edge  of  the  bed ;  then  with  the  spade  cut  out  a 
trench  six  inches  deep  with  the  side  next  the  line  perpen- 
dicular, in  which  set  the  plants  twelve  inches  apart,  if 
large  heads  are  desired.  Place  the  roots  against  the  per- 
pendicular side  of  the  trench,  and  spread  them  out  like  a 
fan  against  the  cut  without  any  doubling,  keeping  the 
crowns  all  at  the  same  level,  at  about  two  inches  beneath 
the  surface,  and  cover  them  by  drawing  back  the  light 
earth  regularly  over  the  plants.  Draw  the  line  again«n1f- 
teen  inches  from  the  first,  and  proceed  as  above,  leaving  a 
path  of  two  feet  wide  a  little  below  the  level  of  the  bed, 
eight  inches  from  every  third  row.  Some  plant  lettuce 
and  radishes  between  the  rows,  but  it  is  not  advisable, 
though  a  crop  of  cabbages  may  be  made  in  the  alleys. 
After  the  beds  have  been  planted,  rake  them  smooth,  and 
do  not  tread  between  the  rows.  Keep  the  edges  of  the 
bed  smoothly  trimmed  and  even.  The  beds  are  made 
narrow  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  treading  upon  them  with 
the  feet,  as  they  should  be  left  as  light  as  possible,  for, 
lasting  from  ten  to  twenty  years  without  working,  the 
rains  will  render  them  compact,  and  walking  upon  them 
would  be  very  injurious.  If  some  of  the  beds  are  made 
wit.h  but  two  rows,  these,  being  narrower,  will  warm 
through  quicker  and  be  earlier  in  the  season. 

Water  them  daily  in  dry  weather  until  the  plants  are 
well-rooted.  All  weeds  must  be  removed  as  they  appear. 
As  salt  is  an  excellent  manure  for  this  plant,  the  weeds 
may  be  easily  kept  down  by  its  application.  Old  brine 
or  refuse  salt,  in  which  meat  or  fish  has  been  packed,  is 
better  than  any  other,  as  it  abounds  in  the  blood  and 
juices  of  the  meat,  which  are  a  most  valuable  fertilizer. 
Asparagus  is  a  sea-whore  plant,  and  salt  will  not  hurt  it, 
but  is  life  and  nourishment  to  it. 

Old  beds  have  been  covered  an  inch  deep,  and  the  plants 
continued  to  thrive;    but  a  sprinkling  just  sufficient  to 
make  the  soil  look  white  is  enough.     As  soon  as  the 
8 


170  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

plants  have  turned  yellow  in  the  fall,  cut  them  down  close 
to  the  ground,  but  be  careful  not  to  do  this  early,  or  they 
will  throw  up  new  shoots  and  be  much  weakened.  Re- 
move the  stalks  and  all  weeds,  cover  the  beds  with  three 
or  four  inches  of  good  stable  manure,  and  let  it  remain 
until  time  for  the  spring  dressing.  If  you  have  charcoal 
dust  at  command,  a  layer  of  an  inch  thick  over  the  manure 
will  be  found  quite  useful  in  preventing  the  loss  of  ammo- 
nia. When  the  weather  grows  warm  and  spring  has 
fairly  opened,  and  the  ground  is  sufficiently  dry,  before 
growth  commences,  with  an  asparagus  fork  dig  in  the  ma- 
nure placed  on  the  beds  hi  the  fall,  and  loosen  the  earth 
four  inches  deep,  taking  care  not  to  wound  the  crowns  of 
the  plants.  Give  the  beds  a  top-dressing  of  salt,  2  Ibs.  to 
the  square  yard,  before  growth  commences,  and  water 
freely  in  dry  weather.  Applications  of  liquid  manure  are 
likewise  very  salutary.  A  good  liquid  manure  for  aspara- 
gus is  an  ounce  of  guano  and  four  ounces  of  salt  to  two 
gallons  of  water.  Guano  or  night  soil  composted  with 
charcoal,  so  as  to  be  entirely  inodorous,  is  also  beneficially 
applied  at  any  time.  Another  slight  covering  of  charcoal 
dust,  after  the  spring  dressing,  will  be  of  service,  and 
make  the  shoots  earlier.  Until  the  bed  is  two  years  old, 
the  alleys  should  be  also  deeply  dug  and  well  manured, 
as  the  plants  will  derive  much  nourishment  from  them. 
After  that  period  the  roots  will  extend  so  widely  that  they 
cannot  be  worked  without  injury. 

"When  the  bed  is  one  year  old,  it  may,  if  it  has  been 
well  treated,  be  sparingly  gathered  from.  The  plants  will 
not  be  injured  if  the  shoots  are  of  good  size  and  but  few 
are  taken.  They  will  yield  a  full  crop  when  two  years 
transplanted.  Asparagus  should  be  cut  before  the  heads 
lose  their  compact  form,  when  only  four  or  five  inches 
above  the  ground.  Remove  the  earth  to  the  bottom  of 
the  stalk,  and  cut  it  ^ff  sloping  with  a  pointed  knife,  tak- 
ing care  not  to  wound  any  other  shoots  that  may  be  near 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  171 

it,  as  they  are  constantly  putting  forth  from  the  crowns. 
Too  many  shoots  should  not  be  cut  from  the  beds,  nor  the 
gathering  prolonged  too  late.  Whenever  the  bed  puts 
up  weak  and  small  shoots,  these  should  be  allowed  to  re- 
main, which  will  increase  the  size  of  those  remaining,  and 
the  future  value  of  the  bed.  When  green  peas  become 
plentiful,  the  asparagus  bed  should  rest.  After  the  cutr 
ting  ceases,  you  may  judge  from  the  size  of  the  summer 
shoots  the  productiveness  of  the  bed  the  coming  spring. 
These  elaborate  the  food  for  the  future  crop.  The  manure 
applied  in  autumn  has  but  little  effect  on  the  next  spring's 
shoots,  but  from  its  influence  the  strong  growth  of  the 
succeeding  summer  will  prepare  an  abundant  supply  of 
large  shoots  the  second  spring.  The  spring  and  autumn 
dressings  should  be  continued  while  the  bed  lasts,  for  the 
top  soil  must  be  kept  perfectly  free  and  light,  that  the 
shoots  may  readily  push  through  it,  and  the  surface  left 
rough,  that  it  may  catch  and  retain  the  winter  rains  so  as 
thoroughly  to  moisten  the  lower  roots.  Finally,  good  as- 
paragus is  not  to  be  obtained  without  an  abundant  supply 
of  manure.  The  beds  will,  if  thus  treated,  remain  pro- 
ductive twelve  or  fifteen  years. 

Asparagus  can  be  forced  by  planting  a  hot-bed  thickly 
with  thrifty  roots ;  it  comes  into  bearing  in  four  weeks, 
and  affords  asparagus  for  a  month  in  the  winter  season. 
Give  plenty  of  air  in  mild  weather. 

For  Seed. — Reserve  some  of  the  best  shoots  in  the 
spring,  and  mark  them  by  placing  a  stake  by  each  one, 
and  let  them  run  up  and  ripen  their  seeds.  Take  shoots 
with  fine,  round,  close  heads ;  fasten  them,  as  they  grow, 
up  to  the  stake,  and  the  seed  will  ripen  better.  Gather 
the  seed  when  ripe,  and  wash  off  the  pulp  and  husk,  which 
will  pass  off  with  the  water,  if  gently  poured  off,  and  the 
seeds  will  sink  to  the  bottom.  Dry  them  thoroughly,  and 
store  away  for  use.  They  are,  for  your  own  sowing,  just 


172  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

as  well  kept  and  sown  in  the  pulp.    Asparagus  seed  will 
keep  four  years. 

Use. — The  tender  shoots  thrown  up  in  the  spring  when 
from  four  or  five  inches  long,  are  the  parts  in  use,  and  are 
very  delicate  and  much  esteemed,  though  not  very  nutri- 
tious. They  are  excellent  simply  boiled,  or  as  an  addition 
to  soups  when  in  season. 


BASIL.— (Ocymum  Basilicum,  and  0.  minimum.) 

Two  species  are  cultivated,  Sweet  Basil,  (0.  Basil- 
icum ).  and  Bush  Basil,  (  0.  minimum).  Both  are  annuals, 
with  small  leaves  and  small  white  flowers,  and  natives  of 
the  East  Indies.  Sweet  basil  is  the  species  most  cultivat- 
ed, and  was  introduced  into  England  in  1548. 

Culture. — Basil  likes  a  rich,  light  soil,  free  from  shade. 
The  plants  may  be  started  early  in  March,  under  glass,  in 
gentle  heat.  They  should  be  thinned  when  the  young 
plants  appear,  and  transplanted  when  of  sufficient  size 
where  they  are  to  remain.  Basil  is  rather  difficult  to 
transplant,  but  can  be  carefully  lifted  in  tufts  with  the 
balls  of  earth  attached,  in  a  moist  time,  with  complete 
success ;  give  water  and  shade  until  established.  It  can 
also  be  sown  on  the  borders  where  it  is  to  remain,  but  if 
sown  too  early  in  the  open  air,  the  seed  is  apt  to  rot  or 
the  young  plants  to  be  killed  by  frost,  as  they  are  rather 
tender.  April  is  the  month  for  sowing  in  the  open  ground. 
Do  not  cover  the  seed  deeply,  but  press  the  earth  upon  it. 
Make  the  rows  ten  inches  apart,  and  thin  the  sweet  basil 
to  ten  inches,  and  the  bush,  which  is  more  dwarf,  to  five 
inches  in  the  row.  Weeds  must  be  kept  under,  and  the 
soil  mellow,  by  frequent  hoeing.  Bush  basil  makes  a  very 
pretty  edging.  It  should  be  cut  not  too  closely  just  as  it 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  173 

comes  into  flower,  and  hung  up  in  small  bundles  in  the 
shade  to  dry  for  winter  use ;  thus  cut,  it  will  soon  grow 
up  again.  When  thoroughly  dried,  it  may  be  pounded 
fine  and  kept  any  length  of  time  in  closely  stopped  bottles. 

Seed. — Let  some  of  the  finest  plants  remain  uncut,  and 
gather  the  seeds  as  they  ripen.  They  will  keep  for  six  years. 

Use. — The  leaves  and  small  tops  are  the  parts  employed, 
and  give  a  delightful  flavor  in  cookery.  They  have  a 
strong  flavor  of  cloves,  and  are  used  in  soups  and  sauces, 
and  other  high-seasoned  dishes.  They  are  much  employed 
in  French  cookery.  It  is  the  most  agreeable  of  the  pot 
herbs,  and  the  most  useful,  except  parsley  and  sage. 

A  small  sprig  of  basil,  on  account  of  its  odor,  is  an 
agreeable  addition  to  a  bouquet  of  flowers. 


BEAN,  ENGLISH  BROAD.-(F*aa  Faba.) 

The  English  Broad  Bean  is  an  annual  from  two  to  four 
feet  high,  with  white,  fragrant,  papilionaceous  flowers,  with 
a  black  spot  in  the  middle  of  the  wings ;  seed  pods  thick, 
long,  woolly  within,  enclosing  large,  ovate,  flat  seeds,  for 
the  sake  of  which  it  is  much  cultivated  in  Europe.  It  is 
a  native  of  the  East — some  say  of  Egypt,  but  is  probably 
from  Persia,  near  the  Caspian  Sea — and  has  been  cultivated 
from  time  immemorial. 

VARIETIES. 

Mazagan* — Sweet  and  agreeable  in  flavor,  and  produces 
well  if  planted  early.  Far  the  most  productive  variety 
with  me.  Pods  contain  three  or  four  beans,  which  are 
small,  oblong,  and  thick. 

Long  Pod. — Stems  rise  about  three  or  four  feet  high ; 
bears  well ;  the  pods  are  long,  narrow,  and  generally  con- 


174  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

tain  four  beans  of  good  quality ;  remains  in  use  later  than 
the  preceding. 

Broad  Windsor.— Stems  3  to  4  feet  high ;  pods  short, 
but  very  broad,  containing  two  beans,  very  large,  roundish, 
and  flattened.  Best  for  a  late  crop,  as  it  is  longest  in  use. 

Dwarf  Early. — This  is  very  early  and  productive,  but 
has  a  long  tap-root,  and  is  not  suited  to  shallow  soils. 

Culture. — The  early  crops  should  be  on  a  dry  soil  mod 
erately  rich  and  warm,  to  promote  their  growth  during  the 
winter.  The  latter  crops  should  be  on  a  deep,  strong 
loam.  They  are  to  be  sown  in  drills  2^  feet  apart  for  the 
Dwarf  and  Mazagan,  and  8  feet  for  the  others ;  put  the 
beans  four  inches  apart  in  the  row,  and  cover  three  inches 
deep  with  earth,  which  should  be  pressed  upon  the  seed. 
If  any  miss,  they  may  be  supplied  by  transplanting.  This 
bean  will  do  well  wherever  the  winters  remain  open,  and 
the  mercury  does  not,  in  ordinary  years,  fall  below  about 
10°  Fahrenheit,  and  should  be  planted  from  October  to 
February  inclusive.  In  Virginia,  and  where  frosts  are  se- 
vere, they  must  be  put  in  as  soon  as  the  ground  opens  in 
spring,  but  they  are  then  not  as  productive  as  when  they 
can  be  planted  during  the  months  above  named.  ~No  or- 
dinary frost  will  injure  them.  When  two  inches  high, 
hoe  between  and  draw  the  earth  about  the  stems  of  the 
plants.  Continue  this  during  their  growth.  When  the 
plants  come  into  bloom,  take  off  two  or  three  inches  of 
the  tops  of  the  stems,  which  will  increase  the  crop  and 
hasten  its  maturity.  The  crop  should  be  gathered  before 
they  are  full  grown,  while  they  are  still  tender  and  delicate. 

To  Save  Seed. — Allow  a  portion  of  the  crop  to  remain 
until  ripe.  Thresh  for  use. 

Use. — The  English  use  these  beans  while  young  and 
tender,  as  we  do  green  peas.  They  must  be  cooked  very 
young,  and  in  the  same  manner ;  or  may  be  boiled  with 
bacon.  They  are  not  likely  to  come  into  general  use. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  175 

BEAN,  KIDNEY.— (Phaseolus.) 

These  are  tender,  Leguminous  annuals,  mostly  natives  of 
India,  first  cultivated  in  England  in  1597.  The  species  cul- 
tivated are  P.  vidgaris,  Pole  or  Running  Bean,  with  seed- 
pods  long,  straight,  and  pointed,  brittle  while  young ;  j°. 
nanuS)  the  Bush  Bean,  is  probably  a  sub-species  of  this,  with 
more  acuminate  leaves  and  larger  bracts ;  P.  multiflorus 
is  the  Scarlet  Runner ;  and  P.  lunatus^  the  large  and  small 
Lima  Bean,  with  broad,  compressed,  scimetar-shaped  pods, 
and  seeds  broad  and  compressed. 

The  Asparagus,  or  Yard-long  Bean,  is  a  species  of 
Dolichos. 

Of  these  species  there  are  many  varieties,  which,  for 
convenience,  we  will  class  as  dwarfs  and  running  beans. 
Those  with  edible  pods,  breaking  crisply,  are  called  snaps. 
Of  Dwarf  or  Bush  Beans  the  best  are : 

Early  Mohawk* — Pods  long,  beans  large,  oval,  with  dark- 
colored  specks ;  it  bears  very  well,  is  one  of  the  earliest 
varieties,  and  is  least  injured  by  frost.  In  good  seasons, 
fit  for  the  table  about  five  or  six  weeks  after  sowing. 

Early  Valentine* — Pods  round,  and  continue  crisp 
longer  than  most  other  varieties.  The  beans  are  pink- 
speckled  on  a  salmon  ground;  bears  well.  Sown  with 
Early  Mohawk,  is  about  five  days  later. 

Newington  Wonder.  —  t ery  dwarf,  pods  of  medium 
length,  dark  green  color,  thick  and  fleshy;  seeds  form 
slowly,  and  the  pods  continue  long  crisp  and  fit  for  use; 
seeds  small,  oblong,  and  light  chestnut-colored  when  ripe. 

Late  Valentine*  —  Pods  similar  to  Early  Valentine, 
equally  crisp  and  tender,  color  dark  brown,  speckled ;  a 
better  bearer,  and  grows  more  thrifty  than  the  early  sort. 
One  of  the  best.  About  ten  days  later  than  the  Mohawk. 

Royal  Kidney.  —  Pods  long,  finely  flavored ;  seeds 
white  and  large.  Sown  at  the  same  time,  is  a  fortnight 


176  GAKDEXING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

later  than  the  Mohawk.  This  is  one  of  the  best  for  winter 
use  when  ripe. 

Yellow  Six  Weeks,  China  Red-eyed,  and  Turtle  Soup, 
are  likewise  good  varieties. 

Of  Running  or  Pole  Beans,  the  best  are : 

Dutch  Case  Knife,  with  large,  broad  pods,  and  flattisb, 
kidney-shaped,  white  seeds,  and  is  a  good  winter  bean. 

Algiers  OF  Wax  Bean  is  an  early,  running  kind,  with 
pale  yellow  pods,  free  from  any  tough  lining,  very  tender 
and  soft  when  cooked;  seeds  medium-sized,  roundish, 
black.  Excellent,  but  at  the  South  soon  stops  bearing. 

Loriflon  Horticultural  is  also  excellent,  the  pods  con- 
tinuing tender  until  the  seeds  are  quite  large ;  the  latter 
are  large  and  roundish. 

In  Southern  corn-fields  are  grown  several  excellent 
kinds,  which  are  not  described  in  our  books.  Three  are 
particularly  desirable,  viz: 

White  Prolific  is  a  medium-sized,  white,  oval,  kidney- 
shaped  bean,  with  roundish  tender  pods,  and  exceedingly 
prolific ;  desirable  green  or  for  winter  use. 

Dark  Prolific  resembles  the  last,  but  the  seeds  are  of  a 
very  dark  dun  color. 

Black  Speckled  has  the  pods  more  flattened;  seeds 
roundish,  of  a  dull  white,  black  speckled,  and  skin  rather 
thick,  but  the  pods  are  excellent  to  use  green.  Of  very 
vigorous  growth,  and  best  endures  the  summer  heats. 
Not  over  two  plants  should  remain  to  a  pole. 

Lima  BeailS  are  from  the  East  Indies.  There  are  the 
green,  the  white,  the  speckled,  and  the  small  white  or 
Carolina.  The  white  Lima  is  not  quite  so  large  as  the 
green,  but,  bearing  with  greater  abundance,  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred. It  is  also  not  quite  so  hardy  nnd  productive  as 
the  Carolina,  but  is  much  larger  and  richer  flavored,  and 
is  the  most  grown  for  city  markets. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUBE.  177 

Carolina  or  Butter  bean  closely  resembles  the  white 
Lima,  but  is  smaller,  earlier,  hardier,  and  bears  much  more 
abundantly,  and  though  not  quite  so  rich,  is  for  general 
culture  the  best  running  bean. 

Wood-ashes  and  bone-dust,  or  superphosphate  of  lime, 
will  supply  the  soil  with  the  most  necessary  elements  for 
the  bean  crop,  which,  by  the  way,  like  most  legumes, 
draws  most  of  its  sustenance  from  the  atmosphere. 

Culture. — As  beans  are  very  easily  destroyed  by  spring 
frosts,  there  is  no  use  in  planting  the  main  crop  too  early. 
A  few  of  the  Extra  Early  or  Mohawk  may  be  planted  at 
the  same  time  with  early  corn,  and  if  there  is  danger, 
protect  them  when  they  come  up,  by  placing  wide  planks 
over  the  rows  an  inch  or  two  above  the  plants,  supported 
on  blocks  or  bricks  every  cold  night.  The  main  early  crop 
is  planted  in  Georgia  the  last  of  March,  or  early  in  April ; 
at  New  York  City,  about  the  first  of  May.  Planting 
may  continue  until  about  eight  weeks  before  the  autumn 
frosts  occur.  The  soil  for  the  early  crop  should  be  dry 
and  light ;  if  wet  or  tenacious,  the  seed  often  decays  with- 
out germinating,  or  comes  up  spindling  and  unproductive. 
For  the  summer-sown  crop,  a  soil  slightly  moist,  but  still 
inclining  to  a  sand,  is  to  be  preferred. 

Plant  in  drills  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  apart,  and 
the  seed  two  inches  apart  in  the  row.  Cover  the  seeds 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  deep.  A  pint  of  seed  will  plant 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  of  rows.  When 
the  plants  come  up,  thin  them  gradually  to  six  or  eight 
inches  in  the  row,  and  they  will  be  much  more  vigorous 
and  productive.  The  Late  Valentine  does  best  in  hills 
eighteen  inches  apart.  Plant  four  or  five  beans  to  a  hill 
Keep  them  always  clean,  and  the  soil  light  and  mellow 
with  the  hoe.  Draw  the  earth  carefully  about  their  stems 
when  about  to  flower,  making  broad,  low  hills  to  protect 
the  roots  from  heat  and  drought.  If  well  cultivated,  the 
same  plants  will  continue  to  bear  a  long  time.  Do 
8* 


178  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

not  hoe  any  of  the  kidney  beans,  whether  dwarf  or  run- 
ners, when  the  foliage  is  wet,  as  the  plants  will  rust  and 
be  greatly  injured,  if  not  destroyed.  Choose  dry  weather 
for  working  them,  and  hoe  shallow  when  the  plants  get 
large.  The  value  of  the  crop  depends  greatly  upon  their 
being  properly  thinned  in  the  drills  while  young. 

Pole  or  running  beans  for  snaps  may  be  planted  when 
the  main  crop  of  bush  beans  is  put  in,  or  a  few  days  later; 
and  at  the  South,  a  few  hills  should  be  planted  monthly, 
until  July,  to  give  a  succession,  for  which  nothing  is  bet- 
ter than  the  corn-field  varieties  described.  They  should 
be  planted  in  rows  about  four  feet  apart,  and  the  hills 
from  two  and  a  half  to  three  feet  in  the  row.  The  hills 
should  be  broad  and  raised  some  three  inches  above  the 
ground  level.  Put  in  the  poles  before  planting,  let  them 
be  uniformly  about  ten  feet  long,  and  inserted  well  in  the 
ground.  Put  five  or  six  beans  around  each  pole,  and 
cover  them  an  inch  and  a  half  deep,  and  when  up,  reduce 
the  plants  to  three  in  a  hill,  and  where  there  are  less  than 
that,  plant  again. 

Lima  beans  require  a  rich,  strong  soil,  and  will  thrive 
on  heavy  loams,  where  the  other  running  beans  and 
snaps  would  not  flourish.  They  are  still  more  tender 
than  snaps,  and  should  not  be  planted  until  settled  warm 
weather,  as  the  seed  will  rot  in  cool  weather,  and  the 
slightest  frost  will  destroy  them  if  they  chance  to  vege- 
tate. The  tenth  of  April  is  early  enough  in  Middle 
Georgia ;  near  New  York  City  they  plant  a  month  later. 
They  may  be  forwarded  by  planting  in  small  pots  in  a 
hot-bed  to  be  transferred,  by  breaking  the  balls,  to  the 
open  ground  when  three  inches  high.  Lima  beans  will 
not  thrive  if  too  much  crowded ;  the  rows  must  be  five  feet 
apart,  and  the  hills  three  feet  in  the  row.  The  space  be- 
tween may  be  cropped  early  in  the  season  with  Irish  po- 
tatoes, etc.  When  the  plants  begin  to  run,  give  them  a 
little  assistance,  if  not  inclined  to  cling  to  the  poles.  If 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  179 

these  are  too  high,  the  vines  are  later  in  bearing,  and  the 
crop  out  of  reach  in  gathering.  When  they  blossom, 
pinch  off  the  tips  of  the  leading  shoots,  to  hasten  the 
maturity  of  the  crop. 

In  planting  Lima  beans,  place  the  eye  downward  and 
the  narrow  end  the  lowest,  as  the  bean  always  rises  from 
the  ground  in  that  position,  and  if  not  planted  right,  it 
has  to  turn  itself  over  in  the  soil,  and  if  prevented  by  any 
obstruction  from  turning  over,  it  is  sure  to  rot  in  the 
ground.  Planted  in  this  way,  they  come  up  sooner,  bet- 
ter, and  more  evenly.  A  quart  will  plant  about  four  hun- 
dred hills.  The  subsequent  culture  consists  in  keeping 
the  ground  frequently  hoed  when  the  vines  are  dry.  They 
will  continue  in  bearing  until  cut  off  by  the  hard  frosts. 

For  Seed. — Gather  both  the  Lima  and  kidney  beans 
when  ripe  and  dry  them  thoroughly.  The  seed  should  be 
kept  pure  by  planting  the  varieties  at  a  distance  from  each 
Other.  Where  subject  to  be  destroyed  by  bugs,  if  saved 
in  paper  bags,  put  them  up  in  glass  bottles  or  earthen  jugs 
well  corked.  Into  each  one  pour,  before  corking,  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  spirits  of  turpentine.  The  turpentine  odor 
will  destroy  the  bugs,  if  the  vessel  is  tightly  corked,  with- 
out injuring  the  vitality  of  the  bean. 

Use. — The  tender,  fleshy  pods  of  snap-beans  are  a  favor- 
ite summer  vegetable,  very  delicate,  wholesome,  and  mod- 
erately nutritive.  They  are  boiled  while  green,  and  may 
be  preserved  for  winter  use,  by  cutting  them  into  pieces 
and  laying  them  down  in  salt.  They  will  make  their  own 
brine,  and  must  be  kept  covered  by  it,  or  they  will  spoil. 
Cook  in  two  waters  to  extract  the  salt.  The  Lima  beans, 
and  the  snaps  also,  when  full  grown,  are  shelled,  and  may 
be  preserved  for  winter  use,  and  afford  in  proportion  to 
their  weight,  more  nutrition  than  most  other  vegetables. 
Wheat  contains  but  74  per  cent  of  nutritive  matte r^ 
while  kidney  beans  contain  84  per  cent.  They  abound  in 
the  constituents  that  produce  muscle  and  fat,  and  will 


180  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

supply  better  than  most  vegetables  the  place  of  animal 
food.  Gather  them  in  their  green  state  when  full  grown, 
and  dry  them  carefully  in  the  sun.  They  are  better  gath- 
ered thus  than  if  delayed  until  ripe,  and  are  also  free  from 
bugs.  Soak  them  over  night  before  being  boiled.  They 
can  also  be  laid  down  with  layers  of  salt  like  snap-beans. 
They  are  very  good  gathered  when  ripe,  and  dried  care- 
fully in  an  oven  in  order  to  keep  them  free  from  insects, 
which,  at  the  South,  are  quite  destructive.  Snap-beans 
are  also  pickled,  while  young,  in  the  same  way  as  cucum- 
bers. 


BEET. — (Seta  vulgaris,  and  B.  Cicla.) 

The  Common  Beet,  Beta  vulgaris,  is  a  biennial  plant,  a 
native  of  the  sea  coasts  of  the  south  of  Europe,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  cultivated  for  its  beautiful  red  roots  long  be- 
fore its  edible  properties  were  discovered. 

It  was  introduced  into  England  by  Tradescant,  in  the 
year  1656.  Its  name  is  said  to  come  from  the  resemblance 
of  its  seed  to  the  letter  JBeta,  of  the  Greek  alphabet. 

The  best  varieties  are  the  following: 

Extra  Early  Turnip,  or  Bassano  Beet.— The  root  is 
oval;  color,  pale  red.  Downing  truly  says  "it  is  the 
sweetest,  most  tender,  and  delicate  of  all  beets ; "  but  the 
color  boils  out,  so  that  it  is  not  as  beautiful  as  some  oth- 
ers, yet  it  is  the  best  early  beet  and  one  of  the  easiest 
grown. 

Early  Turnip-rooted  is  a  week  or  two  later ;  the  ex- 
posed part  of  the  root  is  brownish,  red  below  ground,  and 
flesh  of  purplish  red,  which  becomes  lighter  in  boiling ;  ap- 
parently coarse,  but  really  tender,  sweet,  and  well-flavored. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  181 

Long  Blood  is  the  kind  most  grown  for  winter  use.  It 
grows  a  foot  or  more  in  length,  and  four  or  five  inches  in 
diameter,  mostly  beneath  the  earth.  It  is  a  good  keeper 
and  very  sweet. 

Early  Long  Blood  resembles  this ;  but  about  half  the 
root  is  above  ground,  and  if  not  gathered  and  stored 
early,  is  more  exposed  to  injury  from  frost. 

The  London  Horticultural  Society,  after  a  comparison 
of  many  kinds,  prefer  the  following : 

Nutting's  Selected  Dwarf  Red. — Leaves  9  to  12  inches 
high,  dark  red.  Roots,  under  ground,  9£  inches  around ; 
flesh  dark  red,  and  when  baked,  deep  crimson;  of  smooth, 
close  texture,  sweet  and  well-flavored,  of  no  earthy  taste ; 
the  best  sort. 

Short's  Pineapple. — Leaves  6  or  7  inches  high,  dark 
purple  stalks,  tinged  with  dull  orange.  Roots  8  inches  in 
circumference;  flesh,  deep  crimson.  Baked,  of  a  dull, 
deep  crimson,  tender,  mild,  sweet,  and  well-flavored,  but 
with  a  slight  earthy  taste.  Both  these  are  small  kinds. 
The  large-growing,  coarse  beets  are  never  good. 

Culture. — The  beet,  being  a  native  of  the  sea-shore, 
abounds  in  soda,  which  can  be  supplied,  when  deficient, 
by  an  application  of  common  salt  the  autumn  before  plant- 
ing. This,  and  leached  or  unleached  ashes,  will  afford 
nearly  all  the  inorganic  elements  of  the  crop. 

The  main  summer  crop  of  beets  should  be  planted  when 
the  peach  and  plum  are  in  full  blossom.  A  few  Bassano 
or  Early  Turnip  should  be  planted  a  few  weeks  earlier, 
and  of  other  kinds  successive  beds  may  be  made  whenever 
the  soil  is  in  a  suitable  state,  from  January  until  the  sum- 
mer droughts  come  on.  Advantage  should  be  taken  of 
the  rains  that  usually  occur  about  the  last  of  July,  or 
early  in  August,  to  put  in  a  crop  for  winter.  This  crop 
should  be  put  in  earlier  the  farther  northward  the  locality. 
At  New  York,  the  mam  crop  is  planted  as  early  as  the 


182  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

middle  of  June,  about  three  and  a  half  months  before 
killing  frosts.  This  last  planting  often  proves  a  failure 
in  the  dry  autumns  of  a  Southern  climate.  It  generally 
will  succeed  in  rich,  fine  soil. 

When  the  surface  soil  is  rich  and  the  bottom  poor,  it 
will  be  difficult  to  make  the  beet,  carrot,  and  other  tap- 
rooted  plants  produce  fine,  smooth  roots.  This  difficulty 
will  cease  if  the  ground  be  deeply  and  thoroughly  worked, 
mingling  the  soil  and  making  it  uniform  throughout,  and 
taking  care  to  place  at  the  depth  of  one  foot  below  the 
surface  a  layer  of  good  manure. 

The  best  beets  grow  in  sandy  bottom  lands,  but  any  soil 
will  answer  for  them  if  deeply  and  thoroughly  worked 
and  well  manured.  This  is  necessary  with  all  tap-rooted 
plants,  and  especially  with  the  beet.  Beet  seed  is  some- 
what slow  in  vegetating,  and  the  later  sowings  may  be 
soaked  in  water  twenty-four  hours  before  planting,  and 
the  drills  well  watered  upon  the  seed,  which  is  then  cov- 
ered with  light  soil  pressed  gently  upon  the  seed ;  a  good 
method  of  planting  all  summer  crops.  Make  the  beds 
four  or  four  and  a  half  feet  wide,  for  convenience  of  culti- 
vating ;  spade  them  up  at  least  a  foot  deep, — eighteen 
inches  is  still  better ;  mix  in  a  good  supply  of  well-rotted 
manure  throughout,  if  the  ground  requires  it.  Rake  the 
ground  even  and  smooth,  and  mark  out  the  rows  twelve 
inches  apart  across  the  bed ;  draw  the  drills  an  inch  and  a 
half  or  two  inches  deep,  in  which  drop  the  seed  two  inches 
apart,  and  press  the  earth  gently  upon  it.  When  the 
plants  are  up,  thin  them  to  eight  or  nine  inches  apart,  fill 
any  vacancies  by  transplanting,  and  keep  the  ground 
around  them  loose  and  free  from  weeds  until  matured. 

In  planting  crops  of  beets,  carrots,  and  parsnips,  particu- 
larly the  two  latter,  sprinkle  a  few  radish  seeds,  if  you 
like,  and  the  ground  is  rich,  in  the  rows  to  distinguish 
them.  The  radishes  will  be  up  in  a  week,  and  the  ground 
can  be  hoed  or  weeded  without  any  danger  of  destroying 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  183 

ihe  young  plants.  Drills  can  also  be  made  between  every 
two  rows  of  beets,  making  a  drill  every  six  inches,  which 
can  also  be  sown  with  radishes  or  lettuce  plants,  which 
can  thus  be  grown  abundantly  between  other  crops  with- 
out loss  of  room.  But  a  rich  soil  is  required  to  bring 
forward  both  crops  to  perfection. 

For  early  beets  it  is  well  to  prepare  a  good  bed  under 
glass  in  which  the  rows  should  be  marked  out  a  foot  apart. 
The  ground  should  be  deeply  spaded  and  thoroughly  ma- 
nured. Mark  out  your  rows  for  the  beets,  and  between 
the  first  two  draw  a  drill  in  which  you  can  sow  your  early 
York  cabbage ;  between  the  next  two  you  can  raise  all  the 
Butter-lettuce  you  wish  to  set  out  for  heading.  In  the 
rows  of  beets  themselves,  you  may  sprinkle  a  few  radish 
seed;  then  a  row  of  later  head-lettuce,  tomatoes,  egg 
plant,  peppers,  etc.  The  drills  retained  for  the  beets  should 
be  sown  in  this  climate  with  the  Bassano  beet  about  the 
tenth  of  January.  By  the  time  the  hard  frosts  are  over, 
the  beets,  cabbages,  etc.,  will  be  fit  to  transplant.  Thin 
out  to  six  inches  apart,  planting  out  those  pulled  up  in  the 
open  ground.  In  transplanting  the  beet,  a  deep  hole 
should  be  made  with  a  dibble,  and  the  root  not  bent. 
Those  that  remain  in  the  bed  will  soon  come  into  use,  and 
by  the  time  they  are  gone,  the  transplanted  ones  will  come 
on  for  a  succession. 

The  winter  crop  should  be  secured  as  soon  as  the  first 
killing  frosts  occur,  as  the  sweetness  is  lost  by  remaining 
in  the  soil.  The  roots  should  be  taken  up,  dried  a  little, 
and  stored  away  in  casks  with  layers  of  dry  sand,  where 
they  will  keep  in  good  condition  until  spring.  The  mangel 
wurtzel  beet  is  much  cultivated  in  some  countries  for  feed- 
ing stock,  and  is  very  good  for  the  table  when  young  and 
tender,  but  in  our  long  season  it  loses  its  sweetness  before 
winter.  Here  the  sweet  potato,  rutabaga,  and  other  tur- 
nips, are  more  promising. 


184 


GARDENING    FOB   THE    SOUTH. 


The  Swiss  Chard,  or  White  Beet,  Beta  Cicla,  is  also 
called  the  Sea  Kale  Beet.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  white 
and  the  green,  which  receive  their  names  from  the  color 

of  the  foot-stalks  of 
the  leaves.  Either  of 
these  is  good.  The 
plant  very  much  re- 
sembles the  common 
beet,  but  the  leaves 
and  their  stalks  are 
much  larger,  thicker, 
more  tender  and  suc- 
culent, and  less  capa- 
ble of  resisting  frost. 
The  root  of  this 
plant  is  small,  coarse, 
and  of  no  value  :  only 
the  leaves  and  their 
stalks  are  employed, 
especially  the  latter, 
which  are  cooked  and 
eaten  as  asparagus. 

The  culture  is  ex- 
actly the  same  as  the 
common  beet,  except 
the  plants  should  be 
twelve  or  more  inches 
apart.  The  soil  may 
be  richer  and  not  so 
deep,  and  the  plants 


Fig.  62.— SWISS  CHAKD. 

copious   watering,  especially  with 
winter    use,    the    leaves    may    be 


are  more  benefited  by 
liquid  manure.  For 
covered  with  litter 
and  afford  blanched  leaf  stalks  all  winter.  If  the  soil 
be  moist  and  kept  mellow  and  free  from  weeds,  it  will  yield 
bountifully.  Salt  is  a  beneficial  manure  for  this  crop,  ap- 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTUBE.  .        185 

plied  while  preparing  the  ground,  as  it  keeps  it  moist.  It 
is  singular  that  a  plant  of  so  easy  culture,  and  yielding 
during  the  entire  season  after  May  a  supply  of  the  most 
delicate  greens,  has  not  come  into  more  general  cultivation. 

For  Seed. — Select  a  few  of  the  finest  looking  roots, 
those  smooth  and  well-shaped.  Plant  the  different  vari- 
eties as  far  apart  as  possible ;  indeed,  it  is  better  to  save  the 
seed  of  only  one  kind  the  same  year  for  fear  of  intermix- 
ture and  degeneracy.  Keep  them  free  from  weeds,  and 
tie  the  seed  stalks  to  stakes  to  support  them.  Gather  and 
dry  the  seed  as  soon  as  ripe,  and  put  away  in  paper  bags. 
Keep  dry,  and  it  will  be  good  for  ten  years. 

Use. — The  young  and  tender  tops  of  the  common  beet, 
and  the  leaves  and  stalks  of  the  chards,  are  boiled  as  sum- 
mer greens,  or  of  the  latter  the  midrib  and  stalk  may  be 
peeled  and  boiled  separately  from  the  rest  of  the  leaf  and 
prepared  as  asparagus,  for  which  they  are  an  excellent 
substitute.  In  gathering,  the  largest  outside  leaves  should 
first  be  taken,  and  the  inner  ones  left  to  increase  in  size, 
taking  care  to  gather  them  while  still  perfectly  green  and 
vigorous. 

When  common  beets  are  thinned,  the  young  beets  pulled 
up,  if  cooked,  tops  and  bottoms,  are  very  sweet  and  deli- 
cate. When  well  grown,  the  roots  give  an  agreeable  va- 
riety to  our  table  vegetables,  being  tender,  sweet,  and 
considerably  nourishing.  They  also  make  an  excellent 
pickle.  If  eaten  moderately,  they  are  wholesome,  but  in 
too  large  a  quantity  produce  flatulence  and  indigestion. 

When  old,  the  addition  of  a  little  powdered  sugar  to 
the  roots,  when  prepared  for  the  table,  restores  some  of 
their  lost  sweetness.  The  leaves  are  said  to  abound  in 
nitre ;  the  roots  are  full  of  sugar,  and  a  variety,  the  Sugar 
Beet,  is  largely  cultivated  in  France  for  its  manufacture. 


186  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

BORECOLE. — (Brassica  oleracea,  var.  acephela.) 

This  plant,  known  also  as  Kale  and  German  Greens,  is 
the  easiest  cultivated,  and  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
cabbage  tribe.  It  has  large  curled  or  wrinkled  leaves, 
forming  an  open  head,  and  such  a  hardy  constitution  that 
it  resists  the  severest  frosts,  which  serve  only  to  improve 
it.  It  remains  green  and  eatable  all  winter  without  the 
least  protection  at  the  South,  and  in  the  Northern  States 
requires  only  a  slight  covering.  The  best  varieties  are : 

Dwarf  Green  Curled,  very  popular  in  northern  cli- 
mates, because  from  its  small  size  it  is  completely  protect- 
ed by  winter  snows,  and  gives  a  good  crop  in  a  small  space. 

Buda  Kale,  with  purplish  leaves,  somewhat  glaucous, 
cut  and  fringed ;  very  hardy ;  may  be  blanched  like  Sea 
Kale ;  taller  than  the  preceding. 

Turner's  Cottager's  Kale  is  a  new  kind,  very  popular 
in  England,  and  promises  well  here ;  it  stood  the  winter 
of  1859-60  at  Philadelphia ;  grows  two  and  a  half  feet 
high ;  leaves  green,  not  so  much  curled  as  the  Dwarf. 

Culture. — Raised  from  seed,  like  the  rest  of  the  cabbage 
tribe,  which  may  be  sown  in  April  with  the  winter  cab- 
bages and  treated  in  the  same  manner.  Transplant,  if  the 
Dwarf  Green  Curled,  into  rows  eighteen  inches  apart  and 
twelve  inches  in  the  row.  Give  it  a  good  soil.  The  other 
sorts  require  about  the  same  space  as  winter  cabbages. 
Borecole  may  be  sown  as  late  as  the  middle  of  August  in 
the  place  where  it  is  to  remain,  and  managed  like  the  Ruta- 
baga turnip.  Like  the  cabbage,  it  is  visited  by  the  Aphis 
or  Cabbage-louse,  and  caterpillar,  for  which  see  Cabbage. 

Seed. — Manage  some  of  the  best  plants  as  cabbage. 

Use. — The  outside  leaves  can  be  cut  off  for  use  when 
from  7  to  9  inches  long,  but  they  will  be  coarse  and  rank 
until  mellowed  by  frost.  The  better  way  is  after  frost  to 
cut  off  the  hearts,  not  square  across,  but  with  a  sloping 
cut,  in  order  to  threw  off  the  rain,  and  the  stem  which  is 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  187 

left  will  throw  up  fresh  sprouts  for  a  succession.  For 
winter  and  spring  greens  this  vegetable  is  nearly  equal  to 
the  Savoy  cabbage,  after  the  frost  has  rendered  it  sweet 
and  tender. 


BROCCOLI. — (Brassica  oleracea,  var.  Botrytis  cymosa.) 

This  is  a  biennial  plant  of  the  cabbage  tribe,  resembling 
cauliflower,  from  which  it  differs  in  its  undulating  leaves, 
its  larger  size,  and  the  color  of  some  of  its  varieties. 

It  is  supposed  to  have  originated  from  the  cauliflower ; 
it  is  a  hardier  plant,  but  not  so  delicate  in  flavor.  It  has 
been  cultivated  about  two  hundred  years,  and  was  intro- 
duced into  England  from  Italy.  Broccoli  is  raised  more 
easily  than  cauliflower.  The  Early  Purple  Cape  broccoli, 
producing  large,  brownish  heads,  very  close  and  compact, 
is  the  best  of  over  40  sorts. 

It  requires  the  same  special  manures  as  cabbage  and 
cauliflower,  and  for  cultivation  sow,  transplant,  and  man- 
age like  late  cauliflower.  To  protect  from  insects,  see 
Cabbage. 

Use. — The  same  as  cauliflower,  to  which  it  is  inferior 
and  where  that  succeeds,  will  hardly  be  worthy  of  culture, 


BRUSSELS  SPROUTS. 

(Brassica  oleracea,  var.  bullata  gemmifera.) 

This  plant  is  a  hardy  variety  of  the  Savoy  cabbage, 
producing  an  elongated  stem,  often  four  feet  high  and 
crowned  with  leaves  similar  to  the  Savoy.  Small,  green 
heads  like  cabbages  spring  from  the  axils  of  the  stem  leaves, 
which,  dropping  off,  leave  the  little  heads  arranged  spirally 


183 


GARDENING    FOE   THE   SOUTH. 


around  the  stem  as  the  plant  proceeds  in  growth.  Brus- 
sels Sprouts  are  raised  from  seed,  which  may  be  sown  in 
April.  Set  the  plants  in  rows  two  feet  by  one  and  a  half 

feet  apart,  and  treat  in  all 
respects  as  directed  for  win- 
ter cabbage.  Cut  off  the 
leaves  at  the  top  of  the  stem 
some  ten  days  or  a  fortnight 
before  the  little  heads  are 
gathered,  and  use  for  greens. 
It  will  stand  the  winters 
without  protection  souih  of 
Virginia,  but  the  product  is 
rather  small,  and  the  plants 
are  very  subject  to  the  Aphis 
during  the  winter. 

For  Seed. — Cut  off  the 
top  of  the  stem  and  permit 
the  flower  stalks  to  spring 
from  the  little  heads  only. 
Keep  at  a  distance  from  all 
the  other  varieties  of  Bras- 
sica,  in  order  to  have  pure 
seed. 

Use. — The  top  boiled  for 
winter  greens  is  very  delicate  in  flavor  and  similar  to  the 
Savoy.  But  the  little  sprouts  after  they  have  been  touched 
with  frost,  which  very  much  improves  them,  are  the  parts 
most  used.  The  sprouts  are  fit  for  use  all  winter. 


Fig.  63.— BRUSSELS  SPROUTS. 


SUBNET.— (Poterium  sanguisorba.) 

A  hardy,  perennial,  Rosaceous  plant  from  Britain,  of 
which  the  young  leaves  taste  and  smell  like  cucumbers, 
and  are  put  into  soups  and  salads.  The  leaves  are  green 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  189 

all  winter.  Propagated  by  seeds  or  parting  the  roots. 
Sow  in  autumn  or  early  in  spring,  in  drills  eight  inches 
apart,  and  thin  to  six  inches  in  the  drill.  Make  new 
plantations  once  in  three  years  by  dividing  the  roots. 
Seldom  cultivated. 


CABBAGE. — (Brassica  ol&racea^  var.  capttato.) 

This  is  a  Cruciferous  biennial  plant,  quite  hardy,  found 
wild  on  the  coasts  of  England,  France,  and  many  other 
parts  of  Europe.  The  wild  variety  is  known  as  Sea  Cole- 
wort,  bears  but  a  few  leaves,  and  is  far  from  palatable, 
unless  boiled  in  two  waters  to  remove  its  saltness.  The  cul- 
tivated variety  was  probably  introduced  into  England  by 
the  Romans,  and  the  common  name  doubtless  comes  from 
the  Latin  Caput,  or  head.  This  is  one  of  the  most  useful 
crops  in  cultivation.  Cabbages  are  eatable  almost  from 
the  time  they  leave  the  seed-bed  until  they  have  acquired 
a  hard,  close  head ;  it  is  a  crop  that  can  be  put  on  every 
bit  of  otherwise  idle  ground.  They  can  be  planted  be- 
tween beds  and  rows  of  anything  and  everything  else,  to  be 
eaten  as  greens  when  young,  or  left  to  head  on  the  coming 
off  of  other  crops,  and  if  there  should  be  a  superabun- 
dance above  the  wants  of  the  family,  nothing  is  better 
for  the  cow  and  the  pig.  For  early  cabbage  it  is  neces- 
sary to  rely  upon  English  seed,  as  the  seed  of  the  early 
varieties  saved  in  this  country  grow  later  by  our  cul- 
ture, soil,  and  climate.  For  late  cabbage,  the  American 
seeds  are  superior  to  the  imported,  and  produce  finer  and 
larger  heads.  No  seed  for  late  cabbage  is  better  than  our 
own,  if  saved  from  fine,  large  heads.  But  all  the  late 
cabbages  in  hot  climates,  without  proper  care,  are  prone 
to  run  into  coleworts  or  "  collards." 


190  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

The  best  varieties  are  as  follows : 

Early  York,  which  has  been  in  use  over  a  century  as 
the  best  for  the  earliest  crop.  Stem  short,  head  oval,  a 
little  heart-shaped,  very  firm,  and  of  fine,  delicate  flavor ; 
its  small  size  enables  it  to  be  grown  in  rows  a  foot  apart 
each  way,  giving  over  40,000  heads  to  the  acre. 

Large  Early  York,  or  Landreth's  Large  York,  succeeds 
the  above.  It  is  of  larger  size,  not  quite  so  early,  and 
more  robust,  and  bears  the  heat  better,  and  will  often  con- 
tinue in  eating  all  summer. 

Early,  Battersea  has  a  very  short  stem,  is  about  3  feet 
in  circumference,  or  about  26  inches  when  the  outside 
leaves  are  removed.  The  ribs  boil  tender.  If  cut  close 
to  the  ground,  the  sprouts  it  throws  up,  if  all  but  one  or 
two  are  removed,  will  form  new  heads  late  in  the  season. 
Early  Sugar  Loaf,  Early  Emperor,  Early  Nonpareil,  and 
Early  Yanack,  are  nearly  allied  to  this. 

Early  WinnigStadt. — Stem  dwarf,  head  large,  broad  at 
the  base,  sharply  conical,  heart  firm,  boiling  tender.  Sown 
late,  it  proves  a  good  winter  cabbage. 

Early  Wakefield  and  Early  Oxheart  are  also  excellent, 
quite  early  sorts,  and  like  the  Battersea. 

Early  Dutch  is  an  excellent  variety  that  connects  the 
early  and  late  sorts,  and  is  one  of  the  very  best  in  culture. 
It  is  succeeded  by  the  winter  cabbages,  such  as 

Flat  Dutch,  which  is  a  large,  spreading,  short-stemmed 
variety,  flat  on  the  top,  close  headed,  firm  in  texture,  and 
if  headed  late,  keeps  well,  and  is  of  better  flavor  than 

Bergen,  which  is  also  a  drumhead  cabbage,  but  larger, 
and  a  little  coarser ;  one  of  the  best  for  late  keeping. 

The  Drumhead  resembles  the  Flat  Dutch,  but  is  less 
dwarf. 

Green  Glazed,  in  this  climate,  is  more  capable  of  resist- 
ing the  caterpillar  and  other  insects,  but  it  is  a  coarse  va- 
riety with  very  loose  heads. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND    CULTURE.  191 

Red  Dutch  is  used  principally  for  pickling,  and  should  be 
sown  at  the  same  time  with  the  drumheads.  Early  York 
and  Flat  Dutch  are  the  best  of  the  above  kinds. 


SAVOY  CABBAGES.— (B.  oleracea,  var.  lullata-major.) 

These  differ  from  the  preceding  in  their  wrinkled  leaves. 
The  varieties  are  hardy,  being  rendered  more  sweet  and 
tender  by  frost.  The  only  two  worthy  of  culture  are : 

Curled  SaYOy . — An  excellent  winter  variety,  much  im- 
proved in  sweetness  and  tenderness  by  frost.  It  does  not 
head  firmly,  but  is  very  fine  flavored,  and  even  the  outside 
leaves  are  tender  and  palatable. 

Drumhead  Savoy  is  almost  as  large  and  firm  as  the 
drumhead  cabbage,  and  keeps  very  well.  The  head  is 
round,  flattened  at  top.  It  is  nearly  as  delicate  as  the 
curled  variety. 

The  Savoys  are  not  as  certain  a  crop  as  the  other  cab- 
bages, but  far  superior  in  delicacy.  They  are  nearly  equal 
to  cauliflowers. 

Culture. — An  analysis  of  different  varieties  of  the  cabbage 
shows  them  all  to  contain  a  very  large  proportion  of  nitro- 
gen ;  after  evaporating  the  water,  drumhead  cabbage  gives 
of  nitrogen  17.899  parts  in  a  hundred ;  Savoy,  20.763 ;  red, 
16.212;  turnip-rooted,  19.052.  We  also  find  this  plant 
remarkably  rich  in  phosphorus  and  sulphur ;  hence  its  un- 
pleasant smell  in  decay,  like  that  of  animal  matter.  It 
abounds  also  in  soda  and  potash.  Hence,  common  salt,  to 
yield  soda  and  chlorine,  wood  ashes  for  potash,  bone  for 
phosphoric  acid,  and  gypsum,  to  add  sulphur  and  lime,  to- 
gether with  a  soil  saturated  with  manure  of  animals, 
especially  the  liquid  excretion,  all  come  in  play  in  making 


192  GABDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

fine  cabbages.     Frequent  stirring  the  soil,  too,  will  rob 
the  atmosphere  of  its  ammonia  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  genus  to  which  the  cabbage  belongs,  (Brassica^ 
embraces  also  the  Turnip,  Borecole,  Broccoli,  Cauliflower, 
Brussels  Sprouts,  etc.,  and  the  following  observations  ap- 
ply to  the  whole  of  them. 

For  the  seed-bed  the  soil  should  be  a  moist  loam,  but 
more  dry  in  the  case  of  plants  which  are  to  stand  the 
winter.  For  final  production  most  plants  of  this  genus 
like  a  fresh,  very  rich,  moderately  clayey  loam.  A  moist, 
cool  bottom  suits  them  admirably ;  such  of  them  as  are 
to  stand  the  winter  in  the  open  ground  should  be  grown 
in  a  lighter  soil,  not  over  rich.  Good,  well-decomposed 
stable  manure  is  usually  employed  in  preparing  the  soil 
for  this  genus.  Pure  hog  manure  is  by  some  considered 
objectionable,  as  it  is  said  to  cause  any  of  the  cabbage 
tribe  to  become  clump-rooted  and  lose  their  regularity  of 
shape.  A  plentiful  application  of  salt  the  autumn  before 
planting,  say  at  the  rate  of  eight  or  ten  bushels  per  acre, 
is  very  beneficial  to  this  tribe,  as  it  destroys  the  cutworm 
and  keeps  the  soil  moist  and  cool.  Bone-dust,  and  espe- 
cially superphosphate  of  lime,  has  a  very  surprising  effect 
upon  them,  far  more  than  analysis  would  lead  one  to 
suppose. 

The  ground  is  advantageously  dug  twice  the  depth  of  a 
spade,  and  should  be  well  pulverized  by  the  operation. 
All  of  the  cabbage  tribe  are  particularly  benefited  by  fre- 
quent and  deep  cultivation ;  they  especially  like  to  have 
the  soil  about  them  thoroughly  worked  while  the  dew  is 
on  them.  There  will  be  a  very  great  difference  in  the 
growth  of  two  plots  of  cabbages  treated  alike  in  other 
respects,  one  of  which  shall  be  hoed  at  sunrise,  and  the 
other  at  midday ;  the  growth  of  the  former  will  surpris- 
ingly exceed  that  of  the  latter.  But  the  cabbage  tribe 
cannot  be  hoed  too  much  for  their  benefit  even  if  daily. 
The  situation  must  be  open  and  free  from  all  shade  or  drip 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  193 

of  trees ;  if  shaded  from  the  midday  sun,  it  is  an  advan- 
tage, but  it  must  not  be  by  trees.  In  the  shade  of  trees 
and  other  confined  situations,  they  are  much  more  subject 
to  be  infested  with  caterpillars,  and  to  grow  weak  and 
spindling.  In  planting  out,  any  of  which  the  roots  are 
knotted  and  clumped  should  be  rejected. 

Early  York  cabbage  seed  may  be  sown  early  in 
September  or  October  in  the  open  ground,  watering 
in  the  evening  when  dry,  as  it  usually  is  this  month. 
The  seed  should  be  sown  in  drills,  six  inches  apart,  and 
one  inch  deep,  and  the  ground  deeply  dug;  water  the 
drills  before  covering  the  seed,  unless  the  ground  is  moist. 
Cover  with  fine,  rich  soil,  pressed  lightly  upon  the  seed. 
The  plants  will  appear  in  about  a  week,  and  a  little  soot 
should  be  scattered  over  them  to  prevent  the  attacks  of 
insects.  When  large  enough  to  transplant,  they  can  be 
set  very  thick  in  a  cold  frame  or  box,  to  stand  over  the 
winter.  Cover  over  with  glass,  or  boards  if  you  have 
not  glass,  during  severe  weather,  but  give  air  every  mild 
day,  and  set  out  when  the  weather  grows  mild  in  the 
spring. 

From  Washington  southwards,  a  still  better  way  than 
putting  the  plants  in  a  frame,  is  to  throw  a  piece  of 
ground  into  high  ridges,  two  feet  apart,  running  east  and 
west.  On  the  south  side  of  these  ridges,  set  out  the 
plants  a  foot  apart,  so  that  they  will  be  shielded  from  the 
cold  north  winds,  and  enjoy  the  full  warmth  of  the  sun. 
Plant  on  the  sides  of  the  ridges  and  not  in  the  trench. 
When  the  weather  grows  severe  in  December,  cover 
slightly  with  straw  or  litter ;  remove  it  when  mild  weather 
returns,  and  cultivate  as  usual,  gradually  levelling  the 
ridges,  and  you  will  have  cabbages  earlier  than  by  any 
other  mode ;  the  ground  should  be  good.  If  you  raise 
your  plants  in  the  cold  frame,  they  will  be  ready  to  trans- 
plant from  the  20th  to  the  last  of  February.  They  will 
be  very  liable  to  be  eaten  off  by  the  cutworm  when 
9 


194  GARDENING  FOE   THE   SOUTH. 

transplanted.  There  are  two  modes  of  preventing  this. 
The  best  method  is  to  sow  the  ground  intended  for  cab- 
bage, the  autumn  after  being  spaded  up,  with  salt  at  the 
rate  of  eight  bushels  per  acre.  If  you  have  not  already 
sown  your  cabbage  plot  with  salt,  there  is  another  plan  to 
keep  off  the  cutworm,  equally  successful.  Throw  your 
ground  into  ridges  and  trenches  sixteen  inches  apart ;  let 
these  trenches  be  at  least  six  inches  deep.  In  the  bottom 
of  these  transplant  your  cabbages,  one  foot  apart.  Some 
use  a  dibble,  but  a  trowel  is  much  better,  as  it  does  not 
leave  the  soil  hard.  Prepare  your  ground  in  dry  weather, 
but  choose  a  moist  day  for  transplanting.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  wet  the  roots  before  planting  out.  When  they 
get  rooted,  stir  the  soil  gently  about  them,  but  do  not  fill 
up  the  trenches  until  the  plants  are  so  large  that  there  is 
no  danger  of  the  worm.  This  method  of  protecting  cab- 
bages was  pointed  out  to  me  by  a  negro  gardener  several 
years  since,  and  I  have  tried  it  repeatedly.  The  worm 
will  not  go  down  into  the  trenches  to  destroy  the  plants. 

When  the  plants  get  strong,  the  ground  should  be 
deeply  and  repeatedly  hoed.  Do  this  while  the  dew  is 
on,  and  retain  its  ammonia  in  the  soil.  The  cabbage  is 
partial  to  moisture,  so  hoe  it  frequently,  and  when  you  go 
out  in  the  morning,  you  will  find  the  plot  moist  with  dew, 
while  the  unstirred  soil  around  is  dry  as  ever.  The  only 
secret  in  raising  early  cabbage  is,  set  your  plants  in  rich 
ground  and  stir  the  soil.  On  poor  ground  (and  even  on 
rich,  if  half  tended)  they  will  run  into  collards.  Stir  the 
soil,  and  less  manure  is  required. 

If  the  fall  sowing  has  been  neglected,  sow  the  seeds  in 
January  or  early  in  February,  in  a'cold  frame,  as  directed 
in  the  article  on  the  Beet ;  or  they  may  be  sown  in  the 
open  ground  when  the  heavy  frosts  that  freeze  the  soil  are 
over,  covering  them  with  litter,  if  protection  is  needed 
against  unseasonable  frosts,  to  be  removed  when  the 
danger  is  over.  Transplant  and  cultivate  as  above. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  195 

For  the  middle  crop  to  last  through  the  summer,  the 
seed  can  be  sown  as  above,  or  any  time  until  the  middle 
of  April.  The  cultivation  is  the  same,  except  that  the 
plants  should  be  set  about  sixteen  to  eighteen  inches 
apart.  The  varieties  are  the  Large  York,  Battersea,  and 
Early  Dutch.  These  will  not  head  unless  the  ground  be 
rich,  rather  moist,  and,  above  all,  diligently  worked. 

The  late  crop,  Red  Dutch,  Savoys,  Flat  Dutch,  etc.,  sow 
about  the  first  of  April.  It  is  sown  the  1st  of  May  near 
New  York,  but,  sown  at  that  season  in  the  South,  it  is 
not  certain  to  come  up.  If  seed  of  any  of  the  cabbage 
tribe  be  sown  after  the  weather  grows  warm,  it  must  be 
watered  in  the  drill,  or  covered  with  rich,  fresh  earth, 
which  must  be  pressed  upon  it  by  walking  on  a  board, 
and  it  must  be  shaded  by  a  covering  of  boards  or  pine 
brush  during  the  day,  removing  it  at  night,  until  the 
plants  get  a  little  established.  If  the  weather  is  warm 
and  wet,  the  covering  may  be  dispensed  with.  They 
should  not  be  transplanted  until  July  or  August.  Let  the 
ground  be  well  spaded,  and  thoroughly  manured.  They 
must  be  set  in  the  ground  up  to  the  first  leaf,  no  matter 
how  long  the  stem  may  be,  or  they  will  not  head.  They 
also  require  a  rich  soil,  but  not  from  fresh  manure.  The 
manure  for  the  cabbage  crop  should  be  thoroughly  de- 
composed, or  the  plants  will  be  covered  with  aphides  or 
cabbage  lice.  The  best  way  is  to  throw  the  ground  into 
ridges  from  two  to  two  and  a  half  feet  apart,  making  the 
trenches  between  more  or  less  deep,  according  to  the 
length  of  the  stems;  wet  the  roots  thoroughly,  and 
transplant  in  moist  weather,  doing  it  carefully  with 
a  trowel,  and  when  the  ground  gets  dry,  draw  the  earth 
level,  which  should  just  reach  up  to  the  lower  leaves,  not 
all  at  once,  but  gradually.  If  you  have  not  late  plants, 
sow  Early  and  Large  Yorks,  or  Winnigstadts,  in  July  here, 
or  June  northward,  and  good  heads  of  a  smaller  size  can 
be  produced. 


196  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

After  the  late  cabbages  are  transplanted,  let  them  be 
well  cultivated  by  deep  and  frequent  hoeing,  and  do  not 
strip  off  the  lower  leaves  if  you  wish  them  to  head. 

Insects. — Many  remedies  are  employed  to  keep  off  the 
green  worm,  so  destructive  to  the  cabbage  tribe.  An  in- 
fusion of  tobacco  or  of  the  ripe  berries  of  the  Pride  of 
China  tree,  sprinkled  on  them  once  or  twice  a  week  from 
a  water-pot,  is  said  to  be  effectual.  Sprinkling  with  ashes 
is  a  good  practice ;  also  to  coop  a  brood  of  chickens  near, 
as  they  destroy  the  worm  without  injury  to  the  cabbage. 
Break  off  a  leaf  at  night  and  place  it  on  the  top  of  the 
head.  In  the  morning  early,  most  of  the  worms  will  be 
on  the  under  side  of  this  leaf.  Brush  them  off  into  a  dish 
of  soapsuds.  Repeat  this  daily  until  the  worms  are  de- 
stroyed. Aphides  are  not  so  apt  to  be  troublesome  when 
the  plants  are  in  vigorous  growth;  an  application  of 
strong  soapsuds  generally  destroys  them.  Wetting  the 
leaves  with  water  raised  to  the  temperature  of  130°F.,  it 
is  said,  will  kill  them  without  injury  to  plants.  Dry 
charcoal  dust  mixed  with  Scotch  snuff  and  dusted  over 
them  is  another  remedy.  Air-slaked  lime  in  which  a 
few  drops  of  spirits  of  turpentine  have  been  diffused,  will 
generally  drive  away  both  the  aphides  and  the  green  worm. 

The  small,  black  Flea-beetle,  or  Turnip-flea,  frequently 
attacks  the  young  plants,  and  it  is  sometimes  nearly  impos- 
sible to  drive  them  away.  In  some  localities  the  plants 
have  to  be  raised  in  boxes  elevated  five  or  six  feet  from 
the  ground  to  escape  them. 

To  preserve  Cabbage. — Heel  them  in  in  a  dry  situation, 
up  to  their  lower  leaves  on  the  north  side  of  a  fence  or 
building,  and  cover  slightly  with  plank,  straw,  or  pine 
brush,  to  keep  them  from  freezing  and  thawing  during 
the  winter.  It  is  not  the  frost,  however,  but  the  sun  upon 
them,  while  frozen,  that  does  the  injury.  In  Virginia  and 
northward,  dig  a  trench  on  a  gentle  slope,  and  lay  two  or 
three  bean  poles  in  the  bottom ;  on  these,  beginning  at  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION    AND   CULTURE.  197 

upper  end,  lay  the  cabbages,  head  downward,  a  little 
sloping,  so  that  the  water  may  run  out  from  the  heads. 
Cover  now  with  earth  a  few  inches  thick,  forming  a  sharp 
ridge  about  their  roots,  whicli  should  be  made  firm  by 
treading  or  beating.  Begin  at  the  lower  end  and  dig  out 
as  wanted  for  use. 

Seed. — Set  out  some  of  the  best  heads  in  the  spring  at 
a  distance  from  turnips  and  all  other  members  of  this 
family,  or  they  will  intermix.  Of  the  late  varieties,  home- 
grown seed,  if  pure,  is  the  best.  Support  the  stems  as 
they  rise  by  stakes,  and  gather  the  seed  before  it  scatters. 
Seed  will  keep  four  years. 

Use. — Cabbage,  as  an  article  of  food,  is  not  so  remark- 
able for  its  fattening  properties  as  for  its  power  of  supply- 
ing strength  for  labor  by  producing  muscle  and  bone, 
which  it  owes  to  its  richness  in  blood-forming  material, 
abounding  in  nitrogen,  phosphates,  and  sulphur.  Hence 
it  is  very  nutritious  for,  and  much  relished  by,  laboring 
people  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  but  is  apt  to  disagree 
with  those  of  quiet  and  sedentary  habits.  With  the  latter 
it  is  more  wholesome  and  digestible  if  eaten  uncooked. 
Many  persons  can  eat  "cold  slaugh"  with  impunity  that 
are  unable  to  use  boiled  cabbage  without  great  inconven- 
ience. It  is  by  many  much  relished  when  made  into 
sauer-kraut,  and  is  also  pickled. 


CARDOON",— (Cynara  Cardunculus.) 

The  Cardoon  is  a  perennial  plant,  a  native  of  Candia, 
introduced  into  England  in  1658.  It  resembles,  and  is  a 
species  of  artichoke,  but  is  of  larger  size,  some  five  feet  in 
height,  with  the  leaves  spreading  out  widely.  In  conti- 
nental Europe,  it  is  considerably  cultivated,  but  it  is  a 


198  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

fancy  vegetable,  raised  mostly  as  a  curiosity,  and  of  no 
great  merit  as  an  esculent.  In  France  the  Tours  Cardoon, 
a  very  spiny,  thick  or  fleshy-ribbed  variety,  is  most  culti- 
vated, and,  being  the  least  liable  to  run  to  seed,  is  the  best 
sort.  The  common  spineless  variety  is  the  only  one  of 
which  seed  is  usually  offered  in  America. 

Sow  in  drills  five  feet  apart  when  the  spring  frosts  are 
over,  and  at  intervals  until  within  four  months  of  killing 
autumn  frosts,  as  the  early  sown  ones  may  run  to  seed. 
Other  crops  may  at  first  occupy  the  space  between  the 
drills.  Plant  the  seed  an  inch  deep,  and  thin  the  plants 
gradually  until  they  are  eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  drills. 
Those  taken  up  may  be  reset  to  fill  vacancies  or  to  enlarge 
the  plantation.  The  soil  must  be  light,  deep,  well  pulver- 
ized, and  tolerably  rich.  Keep  the  ground  loose  about 
them,  hoeing  up  all  the  weeds.  When  the  plants  are 
eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  high,  they  must  be  blanched. 
The  decayed  leaves  must  be  removed,  and  the  rest  closed 
together  by  strings  or  bass  matting.  Then  bind  up  the 
plant  carefully  with  twisted  bands  of  hay  or  straw,  be- 
ginning at  the  root.  Select  a  dry  day,  or  the  plants  will 
rot.  Bind  up  two-thirds  of  the  height  of  the  stem ;  then 
dig  and  break  the  ground  and  earth  up  to  nearly  the  same 
height.  As  the  plants  grow,  continue  to  tie  and  earth  up. 
Watering  liberally  in  hot  weather  is  the  only  way  to  keep 
them  from  seeding.  When  the  plants  are  blanched  eight- 
een inches  or  two  feet,  they  are  fit  for  use.  They  will 
blanch  fully  in  about  two  or  three  weeks.  Do  not  let  the 
earth  get  between  the  leaves  or  they  will  decay. 

For  Seed. — Leave  a  few  full-grown  plants  unblanched 
to  stand  the  winter,  and  they  will  shoot  up  to  seed  the 
next  season. 

Use. — The  stalks  rendered  white  and  tender  by  blanch- 
ing are  used  in  stews,  soups,  and  salads,  the  leaves  and 
steins  being  white  and  crisp  for  two  feet  in  length.  The 
plant  is  not  very  nutritious. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  199 

CAULIFLOWER. — (Brassica  oleracea,  var.   Botrytis  cauliflora.) 

This  plant  is  a  biennial,  and  was  introduced  into  Eng- 
land from  the  Island  of  Cypress,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  It  is  a  kind  of  cabbage  with  long, 
pale  green  leaves,  surrounding  a  mass  or  head  of  white 
flower  buds — in  short,  "  a  giant  rose  wrapped  in  a  green 
surtout,"  but  much  more  like  a  mass  of  fresh  curds  than 
a  rose.  Since  its  introduction,  it  has  been  much  improved 
by  the  skill  of  the  gardener.  The  seed  is  generally  im- 
ported from  Europe. 

There  are  several  varieties,  of  which  the  Walcheren  is 
the  best ;  a  dwarf,  rather  broad-leaved  variety,  which  re- 
sists better  summer  droughts  and  winter's  cold  than  the 
others.  The  London  and  Asiatic  are  also  cultivated. 

Cauliflower  requires  the  same  manures  as  cabbage. 
There  is  much  less  difficulty  in  its  cultivation  near  the 
sea-shore  than  inland.  The  ground  should  receive  a 
dressing  of  common  salt. 

Culture. — Cauliflowers  are  sown  at  two  periods  for  the 
early  and  late  crop.  For  the  former  sow  early  in  Septem- 
ber thinly  in  drills  six  inches  apart,  in  rich,  light  soil,  and 
if  the  ground  is  too  dry  and  hot,  water  the  seed  in  the 
drill  before  covering ;  cover  with  fine,  light  soil,  and  shade 
with  a  mat  until  the  seeds  are  just  beginning  to  come  up, 
(not  longer.)  When  the  plants  are  three  inches  high,  in 
the  colder  localities,  they  are  taken  up  carefully  and  pot- 
ted singly  in  small  pots,  three  in  a  pot  where  the  quart 
size  is  used.  Instead  of  potting,  they  may  be  set  out  in 
a  cold  frame  or  pit  four  inches  asunder,  to  remain  until 
spring  opens,  giving  them  meanwhile  all  the  air  the 
weather  will  admit  to  harden  them.  They  will  stand 
light  frosts  without  injury.  As  early  as  safe,  remove  the 
sashes  entirely  a  few  days,  take  them  up  from  the  bed 
with  a  transplanter  with  balls  of  earth,  or,  if  in  pots,  di- 
vide the  ball  carefully  if  it  contains  more  than  one  plant, 


200  GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

and  set  them  out  in  very  rich  ground  20  by  24  inches 
apart,  inserting  their  stems  in  the  earth  nearly  to  the  first 
pair  of  leaves;  shield  them  with  plant  protectors  from 
heavy  frosts. 

In  milder  localities,  as  the  coast  and  middle  section  of 
the  more  Southern  States,  the  plants,  when  taken  up,  are 
set  out  in  rows  where  they  are  to  remain,  four  inches 
apart  in  the  row  and  the  rows  four  feet  apart ;  they  are 
protected  during  frosts  and  heavy  storms  by  hoops  and 
mats,  or  by  a  covering  of  four  planks  a  foot  wide  to  each 
row.  These  are  supported  by  rafter-like  supports,  every 
5  or  6  feet,  to  which  one  of  the  planks  is  nailed  on  each 
side,  while  the  others  are  movable  and  are  taken  off  in 
all  mild  weather,  but  the  plants  are  kept  covered  in  severe 
frosts  and  storms.  The  ends  are  closed  with  plank.  In- 
stead of  plank,  white  cotton  cloth,  prepared  with  linseed 
oil,  affords  a  suitable  covering.  They  must  have  air  and 
light  at  all  times  when  practicable.  Slugs  must  be  watch- 
ed, whether  wintered  thus  or  in  a  hot-bed.  They  may  be 
driven  off  by  sprinkling  the  soil  and  plants  with  quick- 
lime. As  early  as  may  be  safe  in  February,  prepare  the 
soil  between  the  rows,  which,  during  the  winter,  should 
have  been  protected  from  treading  by  a  coat  of  leaves, 
or  a  few  old  plank,  and  plant  another  row  therein  with 
the  plants  20  inches  apart.  Thin  the  plants  that  were 
wintered  to  20  inches,  taking  them  up  with  a  transplanter, 
and  plant  out  those  not  required  for  the  intermediate  row 
in  a  plot  prepared  for  the  purpose.  Shade  a  little  with 
plant  protectors  until  established,  if  there  is  danger  of 
their  flagging ;  afterwards  cultivate  them  as  cabbages. 

For  the  late  crop  sow  in  the  manner  above  directed,  at 
the  same  time  with  winter  cabbage,  from  April  to  July. 
An  ounce  of  seed  will  yield  three  or  four  thousand  plants. 
The  seed-bed  should  be  of  light,  rich  soil,  and  when  the 
plants  are  two  or  three  inches  high,  they  should  be  taken 
up  and  set  out  in  a  bed  four  inches  apart,  shading  them 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  201 

until  again  established,  or,  if  the  weather  is  too  dry  and 
hot,  thinned  to  that  distance  in  the  seed-bed.  They  should 
be  taken  up  with  balls  of  earth  in  a  transplanter  and 
planted  out  at  the  same  time  with  winter  cabbage,  in 
rows  20  by  24  inches  apart.  Protect  them  from  the  cut- 
worm and  insects  in  the  same  manner.  If  possible,  give 
them  a  plot  of  moist  bottom  soil,  made  very  rich  with 
well-decomposed  manure.  Water  freely  when  needed, 
which,  in  dry  weather,  is  every  other  day  at  least ;  if  with 
liquid  manure,  so  much  the  better.  Let  them  never  suf- 
fer from  drought ;  they  will  show  when  they  need  water 
by  their  drooping  leaves.  Soapsuds  is  an  excellent  appli- 
cation. Keep  the  ground  hoed  thoroughly  about  them, 
especially  the  day  after  each  watering,  that  it  may  not 
bake. 

The  hills  should  be  hollowed  about  the  cauliflower  like 
a-  shallow  basin,  to  retain  moisture.  The  head  may  be 
blanched  by  bending  the  leaves  and  confining  them  loosely 
with  a  string.  They  will  head  in  succession  during  the 
autumn.  To  protect  them  from  insects,  see  cabbage. 

When  a  cauliflower  has  reached  its  full  size,  which  is 
shown  by  the  border  opening  as  if  about  to  seed,  the  plant 
should  be  pulled,  and  if  laid  entire  in  this  state  in  a  cool 
place,  may  be  kept  several  days.  It  should  be  pulled 
in  the  morning,  for  if  gathered  in  the  middle  or  evening 
of  a  hot  day,  it  boils  tough.  When  there  is  danger  of 
severe  frost  injuring  the  cauliflowers  that  have  not  already 
headed,  they  may  be  protected  by  pine  boughs  or  empty 
boxes  or  barrels  where  they  stand,  or  pulled  up  with  the 
earth  attached  to  the  roots,  and  removed  to  a  cellar  or 
out-building,  where  they  will  flower  in  succession.  In  the 
low  country  this  will  hardly  be  necessary,  and  the  spring 
crop  is,  I  believe,  more  certain  with  them. 

For  Seed. — Set  out,  in  spring,  some  of  the  finest  heads, 
with  fine,  close  flower-buds,  and  proceed  as  with  cabbage. 
It  is  very  liable  to  intermix  writh  the  other  Brassicas ;  so 
9* 


202  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

that  it  is  best  to  depend  upon  foreign  seed.  Seed  will 
keep  three  or  four  years. 

Use. — The  heads  or  flowers  boiled,  generally  wrapped 
in  a  clean  linen  cloth,  are  served  up  as  a  most  delicate 
dish.  "  Of  all  the  flowers  in  the  garden,"  says  Dr.  John- 
son, "  give  me  the  cauliflower."  It  is  one  of  the  very 
best  of  vegetable  products,  and  so  prized  wherever  known. 
It  is  nutritious  and  wholesome  even  xfor  invalids,  beside 
being  a  very  ornamental  addition  to  the  table. 

To  Cook. — Cut  off  the  green  leaves,  and  look  carefully 
that  there  are  no  caterpillars  about  the  stalk ;  soak  an 
hour  in  cold  water,  with  a  handful  of  salt  in  it;  then  boil 
them  in  milk  and  water,  and  take  care  to  skim  the  sauce- 
pan, that  not  the  least  foulness  may  fall  on  the  flower.  It 
must  be  served  up  very  white,  with  sauce,  gravy,  or 
melted  butter. — Mrs.  Hale. 


CARROT. — (Daucus  Carota.) 

The  carrot  is  a  hardy,  Umbelliferous  biennial,  found  wild 
ill  Great  Britain,  as  well  as  in  this  country,  growing  in 
sandy  soil  or  by  road-sides.  The  root  of  the  wild  plant 
is  small,  white,  dry,  woody,  and  strong  flavored ;  while 
that  of  the  cultivated  variety  is  large,  succulent,  and 
generally  of  a  reddish  yellow  or  pale  straw  color.  The 
cultivated  carrot  is,  however,  thought  to  have  been  brought 
into  Europe  from  the  island  of  Crete,  where  it  was  early 
cultivated.  It  was  carried  to  England  by  Flemish  refu- 
gees in  the  days  of  Elizabeth,  and  the  leaves  were  thought 
beautiful  enough  to  be  used  in  ladies'  head-dresses.  Cul- 
tivation has  changed  a  wild,  worthless  plant  into  a  most 
nutritious  root. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  203 

M.  Yilmorin,  of  Paris,  has  done  the  same  in  our  day, 
and  from  the  wild  plant  by  selecting  seed,  in  three  gener- 
ations produced  roots  as  large  as  the  best  garden  carrots, 
the  flavor  of  which,  by  most  of  those  who  have  tasted 
them,  is  considered  superior  to  the  old  varieties. — (Son 
Jardinier.) 

The  best  varieties  for  the  garden  are : 

Early  Horn,  which  is  very  early,  high  colored,  and 
sweeter  than  other  varieties.  It  does  not  grow  very  long, 
and  may  be  known  by  its  conical  root  shortening  abruptly 
to  a  point.  It  will  grow  closer  together,  and  is  better  on 
shallow  soils  than  other  kinds,  except 

Early  French  Short  Horn,  which  is  an  earlier  and 
superior  variety  of  the  above,  and  for  an  early  crop  the 
best. 

Altringham* — Color,  bright  red,  and  growing  with  the 
top  an  inch  or  two  above  ground,  which  sometimes  freezes 
in  very  severe  winters,  if  left  in  the  ground,  as  is  usual 
with  this  crop  in  Southern  gardens.  Of  excellent  quality. 

Long  Orange* — Is  paler  in  color,  and  of  great  length, 
the  root  not  above  the  ground.  It  is  next  in  quality  to 
the  above,  and  best  for  winter  use  where  the  crop  is  to  be 
left  in  the  ground. 

Analysis  shows  that  lime,  potash,  soda,  sulphuric  acid, 
and  chloride  of  sodium  or  salt,  abound  in  the  ashes  of  this 
plant.  The  salt  and  lime  mixture,  composted  with  leaf- 
mould  or  swamp  muck,  a  little  plaster  of  Paris,  bone-dust, 
and  wood  ashes,  are  the  special  manures  needed. 

Culture. — Carrots  like  a  light  and  fertile  soil,  dug  full 
two  spades  deep  for  the  long  varieties,  as  they  require  a 
deeper  soil  than  any  other  garden  vegetable.  The  manure 
should  be  put  as  near  the  bottom  as  possible,  not  less 
than  eighteen  inches  from  the  surface ;  but  the  soil  should 
be  fertilized  by  a  previous  crop,  if  fine,  smooth  roots  are 
desired. 


204  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

In  the  Southern  States  carrots,  for  the  early  crop,  may 
be  sown  in  October  or  the  first  of  November,  and  again 
from  January  to  April  inclusive,  after  which  the  seed 
comes  up  badly.  At  New  York,  the  late  crop  is  sown  in 
June  for  winter  use,  and  for  the  early  crop  they  sow  in 
September,  and  protect  it  a  little  with  litter  through  the 
winter. 

Late  sown  seed  do  not  vegetate  freely.  Sow  in  drills 
fifteen  inches  apart ;  cover  the  seed  half  an  inch  deep  with 
fine  soil,  and  for  the  late  crop,  if  the  ground  is  dry,  water 
the  seed  before  covering,  and  after  a  few  hours  press  the 
earth  upon  the  seed  with  a  roller  or  plank.  Thin  the 
young  plants  to  six  inches  apart.  In  short,  the  culture 
of  the  carrot  is  just  that  of  the  beet,  which  see.  Six 
hundred  bushels  have  been  produced  from  one  acre.  The 
carrots  need  not  be  pulled  at  the  South,  but  may  be  left 
safely  in  the  ground  to  draw  as  wanted  for  use  during  the 
winter.  In  severe  weather,  they  may  be  protected  by  a 
covering  of  litter ;  but  it  is  hardly  necessary,  except  for 
the  Altringham.  At  the  North,  they  are  stored  in  cellars 
or  in  piles,  covered  with  straw  and  earth,  like  the  potato. 

For  Seed. — Leave  some  of  the  finest  roots,  protected 
with  litter,  where  raised,  to  blossom  and  seed  the  next 
summer;  save  only  the  principal  umbels.  Each  head 
should  be  cut  as  it  turns  brown,  dried  in  the  shade,  rub- 
bed out,  and  dried  in  paper  bags.  The  seed  will  not  vege- 
tate if  more  than  two  years  old. 

Use. — The  carrot  is  a  very  wholesome  food  for  man  or 
beast.  It  is  a  valuable  addition  to  stews  and  soups,  and 
is  also  boiled  plain,  pickled,  and  made  into  puddings  and 
pies.  Boiled  or  grated,  it  is  an  excellent  poultice.  The 
grated  root  is  often  added  to  cream  to  improve  the  color 
of  winter  butter.  One  carrot,  grated  into  cold  water, 
will  color  cream  enough  for  eight  pounds  of  butter,  with- 
out any  injury  to  the  flavor.  One  bushel  of  boiled  car- 
rots and  one  of  corn  are  said  to  be  worth  as  much  as 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  205 

two  bushels  of  corn  to  feed  to  pigs.  They  are  excellent 
for  feeding  horses  and  milch  cows,  and  for  this  purpose 
are  the  most  profitable  of  all  roots  in  deep,  fertile  soils. 


CELERY. — (Apium  graveolens.) 

Celery  is  a  hardy,  biennial,  Umbelliferous  plant,  a  native 
of  Britain,  where  the  wild  variety,  called  Smallage,  is 
found  growing  in  low,  marshy  grounds,  and  by  the  sides 
of  ditches,  and  is  a  coarse,  rank  weed,  with  an  unpleasant 
smell  and  taste. 

There  are  several  varieties,  some  of  which  have  hollow 
stalks.  None  but  those  which  are  solid  are  worthy  of 
notice ;  among  the  best  are : 

Red  Solid* — The  hardiest  variety,  for  winter  use,  with- 
stands frost,  and  is  distinguished  by  its  color  from  the 

White  Solid9  which  is  more  crisp  and  delicate  in  flavor, 
and  a  general  favorite,  on  account  of  its  color. 

Seymour's  White  seems  to  be  an  improvement  on  the 
old  Red  and  White  Solid,  producing  larger  and  finer 
stalks,  which  are  solid,  flat  at  the  base  where  they  over- 
lap, and  form  a  crisp,  well  blanched  heart ;  quality  best. 

Curled  White. — Leaves  dark  green,  curled,  resembling 
parsley,  and,  like  that,  useful  iu  garnishing ;  hardy  for  win- 
ter use,  but  not  as  fine  flavored.  Useful  to  stand  over 
the  winter  to  use  for  soups  in  the  spring. 

Early  Dwarf  Solid  White,  —  Dwarf,  thick-stemmed, 
with  a  full  heart,  blanching  promptly ;  quality  excellent, 
and  giving  more  well  blanched  substance  than  the  taller 
sorts. 

The  soil  for  fine  celery  must  be  rich  in  potash,  lime, 
phosphoric  acid,  and  chloride  of  potassium.  But  it  wil- 


20(5  GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

not  do  to  depend  upon  special  manures  alone,  without  the 
addition  to  the  soil  of  well  rotted  animal  manures. 

Celery  flourishes  best  in  a  soil  moist,  friable,  and  rather 
inclining  to  lightness.  It  must  be  quite  rich,  without  the 
application  of  heating  manure.  It  likes  a  cool,  moist,  but 
not  wet  soil.  There  are  several  modes  of  cultivation. 
The  common  mode  is  to  sow  the  seed  in  April  thinly  in 
drills  eight  inches  apart.  As  celery  is  a  long  while  vege- 
tating in  the  open  air,  it  is  desirable  to  sow  the  early  crop 
under  glass.  Let  the  seed-bed  be  very  rich,  and  if  not 
sufficiently  moist,  sprinkle  the  drills  well  before  covering, 
and  cover  thinly  with  light,  sifted  soil.  Shade  the  bed  on 
sunny  days,  but  admit  mild  rains  and  warm  dews,  but 
keep  all  close  in  cool  weather  until  the  young  plants  make 
their  appearance.  Unless  managed  as  directed  for  fine 
flower  seeds,  celery  will  not  readily  come  up.  Water 
must  be  given  from  a  fine  rosed  pot  if  the  soil  is  dry. 

[The  manuscript  of  the  author  gives  no  directions  for 
the  cultivation  of  celery.  The  old  way  is  to  plant  in 
trenches,  a  foot  deep,  well  manured  at  the  bottom,  and 
to  earth  up  gradually,  as  the  plants  make  their  growth. 
This  plan  is  now  abandoned  by  our  best  growers,  and  in 
the  lack  of  Mr.  White's  directions,  we  give  those  of  a 
well-known  authority,  Mr.  Peter  Henderson,  taken  from 
his  valuable  work  called  "  Gardening  for  Profit." — Pubs.] 

Celery  may  be  planted  any  time  from  middle  of  June 
to  middle  of  August ;  but  the  time  we  most  prefer  is 
during  July,  as  there  is  but  little  gained  by  attempting  it 
early.  In  fact,  I  have  often  seen  plants  raised  in  hot-beds 
and  planted  out  in  June,  far  surpassed  both  in  size  and 
quality  by  those  raised  in  the  open  ground  and  planted 
a  month  later.  Celery  is  a  plant  requiring  a  cool,  moist 
atmosphere,  and  it  is  nonsense  to  attempt  to  grow  it  early, 
in  our  hot  and  dry  climate ;  and  even  w^en  grown,  it  is 
not  a  vegetable  that  is  ever  very  palatable  until  cool 
weather.  This  our  market  experience  well  proves,  for 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  207 

although  we  always  have  a  few  bunches  exposed  for  sale 
in  August  and  September,  there  is  not  one  root  sold  then 
for  a  thousand  that  are  sold  in  October  and  November. 
Celery  is  always  grown  as  a  "  second  crop"  by  us,  that  is, 
it  follows  after  the  spring  crop  of  Beets,  Onions,  Cabbage, 
Cauliflower,  or  Peas,  which  are  cleared  off  and  marketed, 
at  latest,  by  the  middle  of  July;  the  ground  is  then  thor- 
oughly plowed  and  harrowed.  No  additional  manure -is 
used,  as  enough  remains  in  the  ground  from  the  heavy 
coat  it  has  received  in  the  spring,  to  carry  through  the 
crop  of  Celery.  After  the  ground*  has  been  nicely  pre- 
pared, lines  are  struck  out  on  the  level  surface,  three  feet 
apart,  and  the  plants  set  six  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  If 
the  weather  is  dry  at  the  time  of  planting,  great  care 
should  be  taken  that  the  roots  are  properly  "firmed." 
Our  custom  is,  to  turn  back  on  the  row,  and  press  by  the 
side  of  each  plant  gently  with  the  foot.  This  compacts 
the  soil  and  partially  excludes  the  air  from  the  root  until 
new  rootlets  are  formed,  which  will  usually  be  in  forty- 
eight  hours,  after  which  all  danger  is  over.  This  practice 
of  pressing  the  soil  closely  around  the  roots  is  essential  in 
planting  of  all  kinds,  and  millions  of  plants  are  annually 
destroyed  by  its  omission.  After  the  planting  of  the 
Celery  is  completed,  nothing  further  is  to  be  done  for  six 
or  seven  weeks,  except  running  through  between  the  rows 
with  the  cultivator  or  hoe,  and  freeing  the  plants  of  weeds 
until  they  get  strong  enough  to  crowd  them  down.  This 
will  bring  us  to  about  the  middle  of  August,  by  which 
time  we  usually  have  that  moist  and  cool  atmosphere 
essential  to  the  growth  of  Celery.  Then  we  begin  the 
"  earthing  up,"  necessary  for  blanching  or  whitening  that 
which  is  wanted  for  use  during  the  months  of  September, 
October,  and  November.  The  first  operation  is  that  of 
"  handling,"  as  we  term  it,  that  is,  after  the  soil  has  been 
drawn  up  against  the  plant  with  the  hoe,  it  is  further  drawn 
close  around  each  plant  by  the  hand,  firm  enough  to  keep 


203 


GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


the  leaves  in  an  upright  position  and  prevent  them  from 
spreading,  which  will  leave  them  as  shown  in  fig.  64. 
This  being  done,  more  soil  is  drawn  against  the  row, 


Fig.  64 — CELERY  AFTER  "HANDLING." 

(either  by  the  plow  or  hoe,  as  circumstances  require),  so  as 
to  keep  the  plant  in  this  upright  position.  The  blanching 
process  must,  however,  be  finished  by  the  spade,  which  is 
done  by  digging  the  soil  from  between  the  rows  and  bank- 


.  65. — CELERY  EARTHED   UP. 


ing  it  yp  clear  to  the  top  on  each  side  of  the  row  of  Celery, 
as  in  fig.  65.  Three  feet  is  ample  distance  between  the 
dwarf  varieties,  but  when  "  Seymour's  Superb,"  "  Giant," 
or  other  large  sorts  are  used,  the  width  between  the  rows 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  209 

must  be  at  least  4£  or  5  feet,  which  entails  much  more 
labor  and  loss  of  ground.  For  the  past  eight  years  I  have 
grown  none  but  the  dwarf  varieties,  and  have  saved,  in 
consequence,  at  least  one-half  in  labor,  and  one-third  in 
ground,  while  the  average  price  per  root  in  market  has 
been  always  equal  and  occasionally  higher  than  for  the 
tall  growing  sorts. 

My  neighbors  around  me  have  at  last  got  their  eyes 
opened  to  the  value  of  the  dwarf  sorts,  and  I  think  that  a 
few  years  more  will  -suffice  to  throw  the  large  and  coarse- 
flavored  sorts,  such  as  "  Seymour's  Superb,"  and  "  Giant," 
out  of  our  markets. 

The  preparation,  of  the  soil  and  planting  of  Celery  for 
winter  use,  is  the  same  in  all  respects,  except  that,  what  is 
intended  for  winter  need  never  be  "  banked  up"  with  the 
spade.  It  merely  requires  to  be  put  through  the  handling 
process,  to  put  it  in  a  compact  and  upright  position  pre- 
paratory to  being  stowed  away  in  winter  quarters.  This 
should  not  be  done  before  the  middle  of  September,  or 
just  long  enough  before  the  Celery  is  dug  up,  to  keep  it 
in  the  upright  position. 

We  have,  however,  another  method  which  we  have 
found  to  answer  very  well  for  the  late  crop,  and  it  is  one 
by  which  more  roots  can  be  grown  on  the  same  space  and 
with  less  labor  than  by  any  other.  It  is  simply  to  plant 
the  Celery  one  foot  apart,  each  way,  nothing  farther  being 
required  after  planting,  except  twice  or  thrice  hoeing,  to 
clear  the  crop  of  weeds  until  it  grows  enough  to  cover 
the  ground.  No  handling  or  earthing  up  is  required  by 
this  method,  for,  as  the  plants  struggle  for  light,  they 
naturally  assume  an  upright  position,  the  leaves  all  assum- 
ing the  perpendicular  instead  of  the  horizontal,  which  is 
the  condition  essential  before  being  put  in  winter  quarters. 
This  method  is  not  quite  so  general  with  us  as  planting  in 
rows,  and  it  is  perhaps  better  adapted  for  private  gardens 
than  for  market ;  as  the  plant  is  more  excluded  from  the 


210 


GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


air,  the  root  hardly  attains  as  much  thickness  as  by  the 
other  plan. 

Our  manner  of  preserving  it  during  the  winter  is  now 
very  simple,  but  as  the  knowledge  of  the  process  is  yet 
quite  local,  being  confined  almost  exclusively  to  the  Jersey 
market  gardeners,  I  will  endeavor  to  put  it  plain  enough, 
so  that  my  readers  "may  go  and  do  likewise."  In  this 
locality  we  begin  to  dig  up  that  which  we  intend  for  winter 
use  about  the  end  of  October,  and  continue  the  work 
(always  on  dry  days)  until  the  20th -or  25th  of  November, 
which  is  as  late  as  we  dare  risk  it  out  for  fear  of  frost. 
Let  it  be  understood  that  Celery  will  stand  quite  a  sharp 


Fig.  66.— CELERY  STORED  FOR  WINTER. 

frost,  say  10  or  even  15  degrees,  while  20  or  25  degrees 
will  destroy  it.  Hence  experience  has  taught  us,  that  the 
sharp  frosts  that  we  usually  have  during  the  early  part  of 
November,  rarely  hurt  it,  though  often  causing  it  to  droop 
flat  on  the  ground,  until  thawed  out  by  the  sun.  It  must, 
however,  never  be  touched  when  in  the  frozen  state,  or  it 
is  almost  certain  to  decay.  The  ground  in  which  it  is 
placed  for  winter  use  should  be  as  dry  as  possible,  or  if 
not  dry,  so  arranged  that  no  water  will  remain  in  the  trench. 
The  trench  should  be  dug  as  narrow  as  possible,  not  more 
than  10  or  12  inches  wide,  and  of  the  depth  exactly  of 
the  height  of  the  Celery ;  that  is,  if  the  plant  of  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  211 

Celery  be  2  feet  in  length,  the  depth  of  the  drain  or 
trench  should  be  2  feet  also.  The  Celery  is  now  placed  in 
the  trench  as  near  perpendicular  as  possible,  so  as  to  fill  it 
up  entirely,  its  green  tops  being  on  a  level  with  the  top 
of  the  trench.  Figure  66  represents  a  section  across  a 
trench  filled  with  Celery  in  the  manner  just  described. 
No  earth  whatever  is  put  to  the  roots  other  than  what 
may  adhere  to  them  after  being  dug  up.  It  being  closely 
packed  together,  there  is  moisture  enough  always  at  the 
bottom  of  the  trench  to  keep  this  plant,  at  the  cool  season 
of  the  year,  from  wilting.  That  which  is  put  in  trenches 
about  the  25th  of  October  is  usually  ready  to  be  taken 
up  for  use  about  the  1st  of  December,  that  a  couple  of 
weeks  later,  by  1st  of  January,  and  the  last  (which  we  try 
always  to  defer  to  15th  or  20th  November)  may  be  used 
during  the  winter  and  until  the  1st  of  April.  For  the 
first  lot,  no  covering  is  required,  but  that  for  use  during 
the  winter  months  must  be  gradually  covered  up,  from  the 
middle  of  December,  on  until  1st  of  January,  when  it  will 
require  at  least  a  foot  of  covering  of  some  light,  dry 
material — hay,  straw,  or  leaves — the  latter  perhaps  the 
best.  I  have  said  the  covering  up  should  be  gradual. 
This  is  very  important,  for  if  the  full  weight  of  covering 
is  put  on  at  once,  it  prevents  the  passing  off  of  the  heat 
generated  by  the  closely  packed  mass  of  Celery,  and  in 
consequence  it  to  some  extent  "  heats,"  and  decay  takes 
place.  Covered  up  in  this  manner,  it  can  be  got  out  with 
ease,  during  the  coldest  weather  in  winter,  and  with  perfect 
safety.  These  dates  of  operations,  like  all  others  named 
throughout,  are  for  this  latitude  ;  the  cultivator  must  use 
his  judgment  carefully  in  this  matter,  to  suit  the  section 
in  which  he  is  located. 

To  save  8eed. — Leave  some  plants  where  grown ;  in  the 
latter  part  of  February,  take  them  carefully,  cut  off  the 
outside  leaves,  and  remove  the  side  shoots,  and  plant 
them  out  in  moist  soil,  one  foot  apart.  Select  those  which 


212  GAEDENIXG   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

are  solid  and  of  middling  size.  Tie  the  seed-stalks  to 
stakes,  to  preserve  them  from  being  broken  off  by  violent 
winds.  After  the  flowers  open,  while  the  seed  is  swelling, 
if  dry  weather  occurs,  water  at  least  every  other  night. 
When  the  seed  is  dry,  it  may  be  rubbed  out  and  stored  hi 
a  dry  place.  They  will  keep  good  four  years. 

Use. — Celery  has  some  little  nutriment,  but  is  cultivat- 
ed chiefly  as  a  luxury.  The  sweet,  crisp  stalks,  used  raw, 
with  a  little  salt,  form  a  most  grateful  salad.  It  is  also 
used  as  a  seasoning,  and  is  a  great  improvement  to  soups 
and  gravies.  A  few  plants  for  this  purpose  are  as  neces- 
sary and  wholesome  as  onions.  The  unblanched  leaves 
and  seeds  are  sometimes  employed  in  flavoring.  The 
blanched  stalks  form  a  pleasant  conserve,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  sugar. 


CELERIAC. — (Apium  graveolens,  var.  napaceum.) 

Celcriac,  or  Turnip-rooted  Celery,  is  a  variety  of  celery 
which  forms  at  the  base  of  its  stem  an  irregular  knob, 
which  is  the  part  used,  either  cooked  or  raw,  in  salads.  The 
roots  have  been  grown  to  three  or  four  pounds  weight.  It  is 
sweeter,  but  not  so  delicate  as  common  celery,  and  is  not 
much  in  use,  except  in  climates  so  cold  that  the  common 
sort  can  not  be  easily  preserved  through  the  winter, 
while  this  can  be  stored  like  turnips. 

The  young  plants  of  celeriac  are  raised  exactly  like  those 
of  celery.  When  six  inches  high,  they  are  fit  for  final  trans- 
planting. Set  them  in  rows  two  feet  asunder,  and  eight 
inches  apart  in  the  rows  upon  the  level  ground,  or  in 
drills  drawn  with  the  hoe  three  inches  deep,  as  they  re- 
quire but  little  earthing  up.  When  arrived  to  nearly 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE. 


213 


their  full  size,  they  must  be  covered  over  with  earth  to 
the  depth  of  four  inches.     In  dry  weather  they  should 

be  watered  plenti- 

\r(i/\ 


Fig.  67. — CELERIAC. 


every  even- 
ing, as  they  like 
even  more  water 
than  celery.  The 
only  additional  at- 
tention required 
is  to  keep  them 
free  from  weeds. 
The  plant  is  more 
easily  cultivated 
than  celery. 

Saving  Seeds.  — 
The  directions  for 
celery  are  in  every 
respect  applicable 
to  celeriac. 

Use.—ThQ  stalks 
are  used  for  sea- 
soning soups,  etc., 
the  same  as  cel- 
ery, from  which 
they  can  hardly 
be  distinguished. 
The  roots  are  nice 
boiled  tender,  cut 
in  slices  and  dress- 


ed  like  turnips.     They  nre  often  made  into  a  salad,  after 
boiling  them,  and  are  used  in  seasoning  soups  or  meat  pies. 


214  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

CHICK-PEA.—  (Cicer  arietum.) 

This  is  an  annual  Leguminous  plant  from  southern  Eu- 
rope, of  which  there  are  three  varieties,  one  with  whitg 
and  one  with  yellow  seeds,  both  of  which  have  white 
flowers ;  and  a  third  variety  has  red  seeds,  and  rose-colored 
flowers.  It  is  sown  like  peas  early  in  spring,  in  drills  three 
feet  apart.  The  pods  should  be  gathered  before  they  are 
quite  ripe.  The  seeds  are  largely  used  in  soups,  purees, 
etc.,  in  France  and  southern  Europe.  They  are  less  nour- 
ishing than  the  common  pea,  and  not  very  digestible.  In 
shape  they  somewhat  resemble  a  ram's  head.  They  suc- 
ceeded quite  well  in  Georgia,  as  far  as  growth  was  con- 
cerned, but  on  gathering,  they  were  found  each  to  contain 
a  worm  which  made  them  worthless  for  use  when  ripe. 
Seeds  of  this  plant  were  distributed  under  the  name 
"  Garbanza"  by  the  U.  S.  Patent  Office. 


CHIVES,  or  GIVES.— (Allium  Schcenoprasum.) 

A  hardy,  perennial  plant  of  the  onion  tribe,  growing 
wild  in  the  meadows  of  Britain,  as  some  varieties  of  the 
same  genus  do  in  this  country.  The  bunches  are  made 
up  of  a  mass  of  little  bulbs,  and  produce  pretty  purplish 
flowers  early  in  summer. 

Culture. — Any  common  soil  will  answer.  Divide  the 
roots  in  autumn  or  spring,  and  plant  them  on  a  bed  or 
border,  in  little  bunches  of  ten  or  twelve  offsets,  in  holes 
made  with  the  dibble  ten  inches  apart.  If  kept  free  from 
weeds,  they  will  speedily  make  large  bunches,  a  few  of 
which  will  supply  a  large  family.  Cut  the  tops  smoothly 
off  near  the  surface,  when  wanted,  and  fresh  ones  will 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  215 

soon  spring  up.  Chives  make  a  very  pretty  edging  for 
beds  in  winter  and  spring.  Renew  every  four  years  by 
taking  up  and  dividing  the  roots. 

Use. — It  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  young  onions  in 
winter  and  spring  salading,  and  is  also  used  like  leeks  and 
onions  in  seasoning  soups,  gravies,  etc.  The  leaves,  cut 
up  fine  and  mixed  with  meal  and  water,  are  often  fed  to 
young  chickens  as  a  preventive  of  disease.  The  little 
bulbs  may  be  taken  up  and  stored,  and  are  a  tolerable 
substitute  for  small  onions. 


CHERVIL.— (Scandix  cerefotium.) 

An  annual  Umbelliferous  plant,  a  native  of  southern 
Europe,  with  finely  divided  leaves,  somewhat  resembling 
parsley.  Formerly  it  was  much  cultivated.  There  are 
two  sorts,  the  plain  and  curled. 

It  is  propagated  from  seed,  which  is  sown  early  in 
spring,  and  every  three  or  four  weeks  until  autumn.  The 
summer  sowings  must  be  in  a  shady  situation.  Make  the 
drills  very  shallow  and  nine  inches  apart,  and  cover  lightly 
with  the  back  of  the  rake.  When  the  leaves  are  three  or 
four  inches  high,  they  are  fit  for  use.  Keep  them  closely 
cut,  and  they  will  afford  a  succession  for  some  time.  Keep 
the  soil  light  and  free  from  weeds,  and  let  a  few  shoots  re- 
main uncut  to  run  up  to  seed. 

Use. — The  young  leaves  have  a  milder  flavor  than  pars- 
ey,  and  are  used  in  soups  and  salads,  and  also  boiled. 
"  Chervil  should  be  eaten,"  says  an  old  writer,  "  with  oil 
and  vinegar,  being  first  boiled,  which  is  very  good  for  old 
people  that  are  dull  and  without  courage ;  it  rejoiceth  and 
comforteth  the  heart  and  increaseth  the  strength."  It  is 
now  nearly  out  of  use. 


GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 


CORN.—  (&^ 

Indian  Corn,  or  Maize,  is  a  native  plant,  found  distrib- 
uted in  all  the  milder  climates  of  America  at  its  discovery. 
It  is  of  more  universal  culture  than  any  other  plant  on 
this  continent,  and  can  be  made  to  produce  more  food  per 
acre  than  any  other  grain.  The  best  garden  varieties  are  : 

Extra  Early  —  with  short  ears,  small  cob,  and  large 
grains,  which  are  of  excellent  flavor.  It  can  be  grown  fit 
for  the  table  in  six  weeks  from  the  time  of  planting. 

Eight-rowed  Sugar.  —  Ears  of  larger  size,  grow  two  or 
more  on  a  stalk,  remain  in  a  milky  state,  and  fit  for  the 
table  a  long  time  ;  grains,  when  dry,  are  small  and  shriv- 
elled ;  of  very  sweet  and  excellent  flavor  when  boiled. 

Stowell's  Evergreen  Sweet  Corn,—  A  twelve-rowed  va- 
riety with  ears  larger  than  the  Eight-rowed.  The  grains 
resemble  the  Sugar  Corn,  but  are  thinner  when  dry.  It 
produces  well,  and  is  quite  as  good. 

The  common  Dent  corn  of  the  South  better  endures 
intense  summer  heat,  and  will  supply  green  corn  for 
the  table  when  the  preceding  sorts  fail  from  drought.  It 
is  less  injured  by  the  corn-worm,  which  eats  into  the  end 
of  the  ear,  than  Sweet  or  Sugar  corn. 

Maize  likes  a  soil  abounding  in  soluble  silica.  Gypsum 
and  ashes,  experience  has  proved  the  best  special  manures. 
Sweet  corn  has  much  less  starch  than  the  other  varieties, 
but  much  more  sugar  and  extract.  It  has  also  a  greater 
portion  of  dextrine  and  gum. 

Culture.  —  In  the  Northern  States,  a  dry  soil  and  a  hot 
season  are  required  to  produce  large  crops  of  corn.  At 
the  South,  we  raise  far  better  crops  in  moist  seasons,  and 
on  moist  bottom  lands.  Rich,  deep  loam  affords  the  plant 
plenty  of  moisture  and  nourishment,  which  the  corn  likes. 
The  Extra  Early  and  Sugar  corn  will  bear  thick  planting. 
Plant  the  first  crop  in  the  open  air  when  the  peach  is  well 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  217 

in  bloom,  and  every  three  weeks  thereafter  to  July  at 
New  York,  and  until  August  in  Georgia,  selecting  the 
early  sorts  for  the  first  and  last  plantings. 

The  early  crop  may  be  forwarded  a  month,  by  planting 
a  few  hills  in  pots  under  glass,  on  a  large  scale,  in  boxes, 
thus :  "  Prepare  boxes  about  4  feet  long,  3  feet  wide,  and 
5  inches  high.  Make  one  of  the  sides  so  that  it  can  be 
easily  removed.  Fill  these  boxes  with  loam  mixed  with 
some  manure.  Then  prepare  some  strips  of  board  2J 
inches  wide,  5  inches  long,  and  as  thin  as  the  blade  of  a 
hoe.  Put  these  down  endwise  into  the  loam,  so  as  to  di- 
vide the  loam  into  squares,  2$  inches  square  and  5  inches 
deep.  (As  these  squares  are  each  to  contain  a  hill  of 
corn,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  thin  strips  are  to  prevent  the 
roots  of  one  hill  from  interfering  with  those  of  another.) 
Place  these  boxes  in  a  sunny  place,  well  protected  from 
the  west  wind,  and  about  a  month  before  the  usual  plant- 
ing time,  plant  4  kernels  of  corn  in  each  one  of  these 
squares.  By  planting  time,  that  corn  will  be  5  or  6  inches 
high.  Having  prepared  the  ground  and  opened  the  hills, 
take  the  hills  of  corn  from  the  boxes  in  the  hand,  put  them 
into  the  prepared  hill,  press  the  earth  around  them,  and 
the  corn  is  at  once  planted  and  hoed  the  first  time.  It 
would  be  well  to  use  some  phosphate  of  lime  or  hen  ma- 
nure, so  as  to  cause  the  corn  to  start  immediately.  In  a 
short  time  the  corn  will  be  as  large  as  usual  when  hoed 
the  second  time." — (New  England  Farmer.) 

The  ground  for  corn  should  be  deeply  plowed  or  spade- 
ed,  then  laid  off  in  hills  three  feet  apart  each  way,  for 
Sugar  and  Early  corn,  leaving  three  or  four  .plants  in  a 
hill,  while  two  plants  in  hills  five  feet  apart  is  near  enough 
for  large  Southern  corn.  If  the  ground  is  not  rich,  place 
a  shovelful  of  decayed  manure  to  each  hill.  Fresh  dung 
can  be  immediately  applied  to  corn,  if  spread  before  plow- 
ing, and  well  turned  in.  Plant  four  or  five  grains  to  a 
hill,  and  cover  two  inches  deep.  When  they  are  up,  thin 
10 


218  GAKDENING  FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

as  above.  Hoe  deeply  and  often  while  young,  and  draw 
the  earth  each  time  a  little  about  the  stalk ;  but  after  the 
plant  is  six  inches  high,  shallow  surface  culture,  killing 
the  weeds  and  loosening  the  surface  without  cutting  the 
main  roots,  is  all  that  is  needed. 

Cora  is  a  gross  feeder,  and  cannot  get  too  much  manure. 
A  sprinkling  of  guano  about  the  hill  is  beneficial,  if  it 
does  not  touch  the  seed.  Growth  is  much  improved  by 
giving  the  plants,  at  their  first  hoeing,  a  teaspoonful  of 
gypsum  to  each  hill,  or  a  pint  of  ashes,  or  as  much  of  the 
charcoal  poudrette.  Chickens,  birds,  and  squirrels  can  be 
prevented  from  pulling  up  the  corn,  by  soaking  it  in  wa- 
ter twelve  hours  before  planting,  then  stirring  the  seed 
briskly  in  a  vessel  containing  a  little  tar  mixed  with  warm 
water ;  thus  giving  each  grain  a  thin  coat.  Afte*  which, 
for  convenient  handling,  it  is  to  be  rolled  in  as  much  ash- 
es, gypsum,  or  lime,  as  it  will  take  up.  One-half  bushel 
of  corn  requires,  a  pint  of  tar  and  a  gallon  of  warm  wa- 
ter, with  as  much  ashes  as  will  stick  to  the  grain.  It  is 
effectual  against  birds,  squirrels,  etc.,  while  the  seed  vege- 
tates freely,  if  previously  soaked. 

THE  COEN-WOEM,  (Heliothes?)  comes  from  the  egg  of 
a  tawny  yellowish  moth  deposited  in  June,  and  after,  in 
the  silk  or  apex  of  the  ears  of  Indian  corn  while  in  the 
milk.  The  caterpillar,  at  first  scarcely  visible,  increases 
rapidly,  and,  sheltered  by  the  husk,  feeds  voraciously  up- 
on the  tender  grains  at  the  end  of  the  cob.  It  is  thought 
to  be  identical  with  the  boll-worm  of  the  cotton  plant. 
Injury  may  jprob ably  be  warded  off  by  catching  the  first 
brood  of  moths  in  wide-mouthed  bottles,  or  plates,  contain- 
ing a  gill  or  more  of  molasses  and  vinegar.  These,  being 
set  upon  a  board  some  six  inches  square,  fastened  upon  a 
stake,  raised  above  the  plants,  are  found  to  attract  the 
moths  from  a  great  distance,  and,  alighting  on  it  in  their 
eagerness  to  feed,  its  adhesive  nature  prevents  escape. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  219 

The  light  wood  fires  would  also  probably  serve  the  same 
purpose. 

Where  the  worm  has  eaten  the  ear,  a  secure  retreat  is 
afforded  to  many  other  insects,  and  as  the  dampness  from 
the  exuded  sap  favors  the  growth  of  mould,  the  remainder 
of  the  ear  is  thus  destroyed. 

The  worms  are  brown,  or  green  striped  with  brown, 
and  from  half  an  inch  to  over  an  inch  in  length.  They 
are  in  some  seasons  quite  destructive  in  the  South,  prefer- 
ring the  Sugar  corn  to  the  ordinary  field  varieties. 

THE  BILL-BUG,  or  COEN-BOEEE,  (Sphenophorus),  is 
about  half  an  inch  in  length,  of  a  reddish-brown  or  red- 
dish-black color.  The  head  is  furnished  with  a  long  bill 
or  trunk,  whence  its  name.  It  is  destructive  to  Southern 
corn  crops,  where  abundant.  The  bug  eats  into  the  corn- 
stalk just  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  deposits  its 
egg.  The  grub,  when  hatched,  devours  the  substance  of 
the  stalk,  and  at  length  is  transformed  into  the  pupa,  or 
chrysalis  state,  remaining  in  the  stalk  until  spring.  The 
best  remedy  is  to  "burn  the  cornstalks  and  roots,  by  which 
their  number,  the  succeeding  year,  is  greatly  lessened. 

For  Seed. — Select  the  best  ears  from  stalks  that  bear 
more  than  one. 

Use. — Indian  corn  is  prepared  in  a  greater  variety  of 
ways  for  the  table  than  any  other  grain.  In  fact,  the 
modes  of  preparation  alone  would  almost  fill  a  volume. 
That  from  the  garden  is  mostly  boiled  green.  Green  corn 
can  be  very  easily  preserved  for  winter  use,  by  cutting  off 
the  kernels  after  boiling,  and  drying  in  a  shaded,  airy 
place.  Or,  cut  the  corn  off  the  cob,  and  put  it  in  a  stone 
jar,  with  a  handful  of  salt  to  a  pint  of  corn.  When  the  jar 
is  full,  put  a  weight  on  it.  When  you  wish  to  use  it,  re- 
move a  little  of  the  top,  and  wash  and  soak  it  over  night. 
Sugar  corn  is  the  best  for  this  purpose. 


220  GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

CORN  SALAD.— (Fedto  oh'toria.) 

Corn  Salad,  Fetticus,  or  Lamb's  Lettuce,  is  a  small  an- 
nual plant,  a  native  of  English  wheat-fields.  It  has  long, 
narrow  leaves  of  a  pale  glaucous  hue,  and  very  small,  pale 
blue  flowers.  It  has  long  been  cultivated  in  English  gar- 
dens as  a  winter  and  spring  salad.  There  is  also  a  round- 
leaved  variety  with  leaves  thicker,  and  of  a  darker  green. 

Culture. — Corn  salad  likes  a  loam  of  moderate  fertility, 
not  too  heavy.  It  is  raised  from  seed,  one  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  which  will  sow  a  bed  four  feet  by  fifteen.  Sow 
seed  of  the  preceding  year's  growth,  at  intervals  from 
August  until  frost,  in  drills  six  inches  apart.  Thin  the 
plants  as  wanted  for  consumption  to  four  inches  in  the 
drills,  and  keep  free  from  weeds  by  frequent  hoeing. 
Gather  the  leaves  to  eat  while  young,  taking  the  outer 
ones,  as  with  spinach.  It  will  be  fit  for  use  all  winter, 
where  the  ground  keeps  open.  A  spring  sowing  may 
be  made  among  the  earliest  crops,  put  in  for  later  use 
when  desired.  Allow  some  of  the  plants  to  shoot  up  to 
seed,  which,  as  they  shed  easily,  is  shaken  out  upon  a 
cloth  spread  under  the  plants.  It  keeps  six  years. 

Use. — It  is  used  during  winter  and  early  spring,  to  in- 
crease the  variety  of  small  salads,  and  as  a  substitute  for 
lettuce.  In  France  it  is  boiled  like  spinach.  There  is  a 
species  (  V.  eriocarpd)  with  larger  leaves,  cultivated  solely 
to  use  in  this  way. 


COW-PEA.— (Dolichos.) 

Several  species  of  Dolichos  are  largely  cultivated  in 
most  southern  climates,  the  vines  of  which  are  used  for 
forage,  and  the  seeds  employed  not  only  for  stock  feeding, 
but  the  finer  kinds  are  used  largely  as  substitutes  for  kid- 
ney beans  as  food  for  man. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  221 

Of  these  the  most  in  use  are  Dolichos  Sinensis  and  D. 
sesquipedalis,  Asparagus  or  Yard-long  beans  with  edible 
pods  from  one  to  two  feet  in  length,  cultivated  like  pole 
beans;  and  D.  unguiculatus^  under  which  the  cow-peas 
are  included.  These  have  either  erect  or  twining  steins, 
according  to  the  variety,  and  are  mostly  grown  in  the 
field,  either  broadcast  or  between  the  rows  of  corn  when 
last  worked.  None  of  them  are  much  in  use  north  of 
Virginia,  they  being  a  Southern  institution. 


CEESS,  AMERICAN.— (Bartorea  vulgaris). 

A  biennial  Cruciferous  plant  with  yellow  flowers,  the 
radical  leaves  of  which  are  lyre-shaped,  and  the  upper 
ones  pinnatifid,  and  cultivated  in  some  gardens  as  a  win- 
ter salad.  Often  called  water-cress  at  the  South. 

Sow  either  in  drills  or  broadcast  in  a  moist  place,  the 
last  of  August,  September,  or  early  in  October,  giving 
water  in  dry,  hot  weather.  Let  the  plants  remain  six  or 
eight  inches  apart.  Preserve  a  few  good  plants  for  seed. 

Use. — It  is  generally  liked  as  a  winter  or  early  spring 
salad,  somewhat  like  the  water-cress,  but  more  bitter. 

The  Winter  Cress,  JS.  prcecox,  resembles  the  foregoing, 
but  is  a  perennial  plant  with  larger  leaves.  The  use  and 
culture  are  the  same.  Less  bitter  than  the  former. 


CEESS,  GARDEN. — (Lepidium  sativum.) 

Cress,  or  Peppergrass  as  it  is  called,  from  its  pungent 
taste,  is  a  hardy  Cruciferous  annual,  probably  from  Persia, 
and  has  been  cultivated  in  England  since  1548. 

There  are  three  sorts,  of  which  the  common  Curled  and 
the  Normandy  are  the  best;  the  broad-leaved  sort  is 
coarse  and  inferior. 


222  GARDENING  FOR  TOE  SOUTH. 

Culture. — Cress  likes  a  light,  moist  mould,  and  in  sum- 
mer a  shady  border  is  to  be  preferred.  It  is  propagated 
from  seed,  which,  to  keep  up  a  succession  of  young  and 
tender  plants,  must  be  sown  every  week  or  two.  Give  it 
rich  earth,  that  it  may  grow  rapidly.  It  is  best  when  an 
inch  high,  but  is  generally  allowed  to  get  two  or  three 
times  as  high  before  cropping.  Begin  to  sow  for  winter 
and  early  spring  use  in  September  and  October,  in  a  shel- 
tered situation ;  and  again  as  soon  as  spring  opens, 
sow  in  the  open  ground,  in  drills  six  or  eight  inches  apart ; 
cover  lightly,  and  pat  over  the  bed  with  the  back  of  the 
spade  to  press  the  earth  upon  the  seed.  Keep  the  ground 
clear,  and  water  in  dry  weather.  It  can  be  had  all  winter 
by  the  use  of  the  cold  frame  or  hot-bed ;  give  plenty  of 
air.  A  few  rows  left  uncut  will  produce  seed  abundantly. 

Use. — The  young  and  tender  leaves  give  to  salads  a 
warm,  pungent,  and  agreeable  taste.  It  is  generally  used 
in  connection  with  lettuce  and  other  salads. 


CUCUMBER.— (Cucumis  sativus.) 

This  is  a  tender,  trailing  annual,  with  rough,  heart-shaped 
leaves,  and  yellow  flowers,  growing  wild  in  the  East  In- 
dies, etc.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  garden  products  men- 
tioned in  history,  and  was  cultivated  from  the  earliest 
times  in  Egypt. — (Numbers  xi.,  5.) 

It  has  always  been  a  vegetable  peculiarly  grateful  and 
refreshing  to  the  inhabitants  of  warm  climates.  It  was 
probably  early  brought  into  Europe  from  the  East,  as  it 
was  in  high  esteem  among  the  Romans,  who  so  well  un- 
derstood its  culture,  that  it  appeared  on  the  tables  of  the 
wealthy  in  winter.  In  England,  it  was  introduced  as  early 
as  1573.  The  best  varieties  are : 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  223 

Early  Cluster,  named  from  the  fruit  growing  in  clusters. 
The  fruit  is  about  five  inches  long,  very  productive. 
Early  Russian  is  a  smaller  and  earlier  variety  of  this. 

Early  Short  White  Prickly,  growing  five  or  six  inches 
long,  with  white  prickles,  remaining  green  longer  than 
most  other  varieties ;  productive. 

Early  Frame. — Six  to  ten  inches  long,  much  used  for 
forcing ;  productive  and  good. 

White  Spined,  or  White  Spined  Long  Green,  is  of  fine 
form,  deep  green  color,  which  it  retains  well;  a  good 
bearer,  and  of  the  best  quality. 

Long  Green  Prickly, — Dark  green  color  with  black 
spines,  grows  about  ten  inches  in  length  and  bears  abun- 
dantly ;  excellent  for  pickles. 

Gherkin* — C.  Anguria,  a  different  species  with  small 
and  prickly  fruit,  and  leaves  much  divided,  or  palmated ; 
a  great  bearer,  but  used  only  for  pickling. 

There  are  many  other  varieties,  some  of  which  grow 
two  feet  long,  crisp  and  well  flavored,  but  the  foregoing 
are  the  best  for  family  culture. 

Culture. — The  seed  may  be  planted  here  about  the  first 
of  April,  or  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  with  safety,  as  this 
plant  is  very  tender  and  will  not  bear  the  least  frost.  If 
the  soil  be  deeply  trenched,  the  plant  is  much  less  suscep- 
tible to  drought.  After  the  ground  is  prepared,  dig  out 
holes  fifteen  inches  deep  and  the  same  in  diameter,  six 
feet  apart  each  way,  and  partly  fill  them  with  well-decom- 
posed manure.  A  little  guano,  or  fowl  manure,  sprinkled 
in  the  bottom  of  the  hills,  will  be  very  beneficial.  Do 
not  use  fresh  manure,  or  the  plants  will  die  out.  Cow 
manure  and  leaf-mould  are  excellent.  Cover  over  the  ma- 
nure with  rich,  mellow  loam.  Raise  the  hills  a  little  above 
the  surface,  and  put  eight  or  ten  seeds  in  the  hill;  cover 
an  inch  deep,  and  when  they  get  rough  leaves,  pull  up  the 
poorest  plants,  and  leave  but  three  in  the  hill.  Old  seed 


224  GAKDENING  FOK  THE  SOUTH. 

is  much  better  than  new,  as  the  plants  will  run  less  to 
vines  and  bear  better. 

As  soon  as  the  vines  get  rough  leaves,  nip  off  the  ex- 
tremities, to  make  them  branch  out,  and  they  will  fruit  the 
sooner.  This  is  called  stopping.  Cucumbers  are  very 
subject  in  cool,  dry  seasons  to  attacks  of  insects,  especially 
the  striped  bug  and  the  cucumber  flea.  Dry  wood  ashes 
or  air-slaked  lime,  dusted  thoroughly  upon  the  plants 
when  the  dew  is  on,  will  generally  repel  them,  and  bring 
the  plants  forward.  But  warm  rains  will  soon  bring  up 
the  plants  beyond  the  reach  of  the  depredators,  or,  if  not, 
put  over  the  hills  boxes  covered  with  millinet.  Hoe  fre- 
quently, until  the  plants  cover  the  ground.  The  Early 
Cluster  should  have  the  hills  about  four  feet  apart. 

After  the  first  planting,  succession  crops  for  pickles  are 
put  in  up  to  July  near  New  York  City,  and  in  Georgia 
until  August.  At  the  South,  the  melon  worm  makes  its 
'appearance  in  July,  and  unless  the  cucumbers  are  gathered 
while  small,  they  will  be  injured  by  this  insect. 

Cucumbers  can  be  very  much  forwarded  by  planting 
them  in  boxes  covered  over  with  glass.  Two  seven-by- 
nine  panes  are  large  enough  to  cover  a  hill,  and  such  hills 
will  not  be  troubled  by  the  bugs,  while  the  seed  can  be  put 
in  four  or  five  weeks  earlier  than  otherwise.  The  seed  can 
also  be  planted  in  pots  under  a  frame,  or  in  a  green-house, 
to  be  turned  out,  when  the  weather  gets  favorable,  into 
the  open  air,  and  they  will  scarcely  show  they  have  been 
moved.  Or  they  can  be  raised  wholly  without  removal, 
in  hot-beds  made  as  directed  in  a  former  chapter.  They 
do  best  when  started  in  pots  placed  in  a  small  hot-bed, 
and  transplanted  when  the  leaves  are  two  or  three  inches 
broad  into  new  beds  of  a  larger  size.  They  must  have 
plenty  of  air,  and  be  placed  near  the  glass,  or  they  will 
be  drawn  up.  If  they  begin  to  grow  long-legged,  give 
them  more  air.  The  temperature  of  the  seed-bed  should 
range  between  65°  and  85°.  Always  water  the  plants 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION    AND   CULTURE.  225 

with  tepid  water,  about  noon,  unless  in  mild  days,  when 
it  may  be  done  in  the  morning. 

Liquid  manure,  especially  guano  water,  is  very  bene- 
ficial. In  planting  in  the  bed  for  fruiting,  do  not  break 
the  ball  of  earth;  take  them  out  of  the  pots  carefully  at 
night,  water  gently,  keep  the  sash  down  the  next  day,  and 
shade  at  noon-day,  to  keep  them  from  withering.  It  is 
necessary  the  beds  should  be  shaded  with  a  mat,  during 
the  middle  of  the  day,  when  the  sashes  are  kept  down, 
until  the  plants  get  well  established. 

Stopping  in  the  frame  is  still  more  important  than  in  the 
open  air.  The  temperature  now  must  be  kept  between 
TO0  and  90°,  by  external  coatings  of  fresh  dung,  if  neces- 
sary. The  shoots  must  be  trained  regularly  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  bed.  Leave  only  two  or  three  main  branches 
to  each  plant,  removing  the  others  as  they  appear.  If  the 
plants  that  have  been  stopped  have  extended  their  runners 
three  joints  without  showing  fruit,  they  must  be  stopped 
again.  The  vines  should  blossom  in  a  month  from  the 
time  of  planting.  Impregnate  the  pistillate  or  female 
blossom  (which  may  be  known  by  its  having  fruit  attach- 
ed,) by  taking  the  staminate  blossom  and  placing  its  cen- 
tre within  that  of  the  pistillate  blossom.  They  may  be 
gathered  in  about  two  wreeks  after  impregnation.  Three 
plants  are  sufficient  for  one  sash  of  the  usual  size. 

For  Seed. — Choose  some  of  the  finest  fruit  of  each  va- 
riety growing  near  the  root.  Do  not  raise  the  plants  near 
other  varieties,  or  the  seed  will  mix  and  deteriorate.  Let 
them,  remain  until  they  turn  yellow,  and  the  footstalk 
withers ;  cut  them  off  and  keep  in  the  sun  until  they  be- 
gin to  decay ;  then  wash  the  seed  from  the  pulp,  and 
spread  it  out  to  dry.  It  will  keep  eight  or  ten  years,  and 
is  even  better  when  three  or  four  years  old,  as  the  plants 
are  less  luxuriant  and  more  productive. 

Use.  •—  Cucumbers  are  a  very  popular,  but  not  very 
wholesome  vegetable.  They  are  of  a  cold,  watery  nature, 
10* 


226  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

and  many  persons  of  weak  constitution  cannot  cat  them 
without  positive  injury.  They  possess  scarcely  any  nutri- 
tive properties,  but  their  cooling  nature  renders  them  to 
most  palates  very  agreeable,  and  persons  in  good  health 
do  not  find  them  injurious.  They  are  eaten  raw,  fried, 
stewed,  and  pickled. 


CHINESE  YAM,— (Dioscorea  Batatas.) 

.  A  perennial  plant  brought  from  China  to  France  in  1850 
or  1851  by  M.  de  Montigny,  the  French  Consul  at  Shang- 
hai. It  has  annual  stalks  or  vines,  and  perennial  tuberous 
roots.  The  leaves  are  heart-shaped,  triangular,  pointed 
above,  and  seven  or  eight  nerved.  The  length  and 
breadth  of  the  leaf  are  about  equal ;  it  has  a  smooth  and 
glossy  surface,  and  is  of  a  deep  green  color.  Its  footstalks 
are  half  the  length  of  the  leaf,  furrowed,  and  of  a  violet 
color.  Its  flowers  are  dioecious,  and  of  a  pale  yellow 
color.  The  twining  stems  turn  from  left  to  right,  and 
grow,  if  staked,  at  least  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  and  de- 
velope  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves  small  tubers,  the  size 
of  a  large  pea  or  kidney  bean,  which  drop  from  the  stem 
at  maturity. 

Culture. — The  small,  axillary  tubers  afford  the  readiest 
mode  of  propagating  the  plant,  though  the  largest  product 
seems  to  have  been  obtained  where  the  root  tubers  were 
cut  in  sections  and  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  These 
should  be  planted  in  rich  ground  deeply  trenched,  the 
deeper  the  better,  and  then  laid  off  in  low  ridges  or  beds 
eighteen  or  twenty  inches  from  centre  to  centre.  On  the 
top  of  this  ridge  a  furrow,  three  inches  deep,  is  made  with 
the  hoe,  in  which  the  sets  are  planted.  This  should  be 
done  early  in  the  spring,  and  where  the  seasons  are  short, 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  227 

the  plants  should  be  started  in  pots  to  be  planted  out 
when  danger  of  frost  is  over.  Keep  the  young  plants 
free  from  weeds,  and  cultivate  like  sweet  potatoes,  except 
no  earthing  up  is  required.  The  plant  likes  moisture,  and 
growth  is  arrested  in  dry  weather.  It  is  found  to  produce 
larger  roots  if  not  staked,  and  the  plant  is  allowed  to  fall 
upon,  and  shade,  the  ground.  Watering  in  dry  weather 
is  beneficial.  The  crop  should  not  be  gathered  until  after 
the  autumn  frosts,  and  roots  will  be  found  somewhere  be- 
tween ten  and  thirty-six  inches  below  the  surface.  The 
whole  root  should  be  extracted,  as  the  lower  part  is  al- 
ways the  largest  and  most  starchy.  This  should  be  re- 
served for  the  table,  while  the  upper  or  slender  part  should 
be  kept  for  propagation.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  take 
them  up  without  breaking,  as  they  often  grow  three  feet 
long.  If  not  required  for  immediate  use,  the  roots  may  safely 
remain  in  the  ground  until  spring,  or  may  be  taken  up 
and  stored.  The  deep  trenching  required  in  preparing  the 
soil,  and  the  great  labor  in  gathering  the  crop,  will  pre- 
vent its  extensive  cultivation. 

Use; — The  roots,  which  are  oblong  and  tapering,  are  the 
edible  part.  The  maximum  size  to  which  they  grow  is 
two  inches  in  diameter,  the  larger  end  tapering  upward 
to  the  size  of  the  finger.  They  are  covered  with  a  brown- 
ish-fawn-colored skin,  pierced  by  numerous  rootlets.  Un- 
der this  is  a  cellular  tissue  of  a  white  opal  color,  very 
crispy,  filled  with  starch,  and  a  milky,  mucilaginous  fluid, 
with  scarcely  any  woody  fiber.  When  cooked,  it  boils  or 
bakes  quickly,  and  becomes  dry  and  mealy,  and  is  gener- 
ally preferred  to  the  Irish  potato,  which  it  resembles 
in  taste.  Each  plant  often  produces  several  tubers,  but 
generally  only  one,  ranging  in  weight  from  eight  ounces 
to  three  pounds.  It  is  more  nutritive  than  the  Irish  po- 
tato, which  it  may  possibly  rival  in  esteem  wherever  labor 
is  cheap  and  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  a  large  amount  of 
food  on  a  little  space. 


228  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

The  other  yams,  Dioscorea  sativa  and  alata,  are  culti- 
vated on  the  Gulf  coast  to  some  extent,  and  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  sweet  potato,  except  that  the  vines  are  sup- 
ported by  a  stake  or  pole. 

D.  aculeata  sometimes  grows  three  feet  in  length,  and 
often  weighs  thirty  pounds.  The  roots  are  cut  up  into 
small  sets  and  planted  in  rows  two  feet  apart  and  eighteen 
inches  in  the  row,  and  by  forwarding  them  in  pots  upon 
hot-beds  have  been  grown  in  Europe  as  far  north  as  Paris. 


EGG    PLANT. — (Solarium  Melong&t^.} 

The  Egg  Plant,  or  Guinea  Squash,  is  a  tender  annual 
from  Africa,  introduced  into  England  in  1597.  It  derives 
its  most  common  name  from  the  white  variety,  which,  when 
small,  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  an  egg.  When  first 
introduced,  it  was  not  regarded  with  much  favor,  but  is 
now  rapidly  working  into  general  esteem. 

Large  Prickly-Stemmed  Purple  is  the  largest  variety, 
often  growing  to  a  diameter  of  eight  inches,  shape  slightly 
oval,  and  dark  purple  color. 

Long  Purple  is  perhaps  the  best  kind  for  family  use,  as 
it  is  ten  days  earlier  than  the  other  varieties,  and  though 
not  growing  so  large,  is  very  prolific  in  fruit. 

Striped  Gaudeloupe  is  a  variety  the  French  cultivate, 
which  has  a  white  fruit,  striped  and  marbled  with  violet. 
A  large,  white,  edible  variety  has-  just  come  into  use  in 
Philadelphia.  The  New  Scarlet,  with  tomato-shaped, 
scarlet  fruit,  and  the  common  White,  are  only  grown  for 
ornament,  not  being  considered  wholesome. 

Culture. — Egg  plants  require  a  light,  loamy,  rich  soil,  to 
bring  their  fruit  early  to  perfection.  They  like  the  soil 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  229 

manured  with  half  decayed  leaves,  well  dug  in.  To  have 
them  early,  sow  in  a  hot-bed,  or  in  a  cold  frame  under 
glass,  the  latter  part  of  February,  or  early  in  March.  The 
rows  may  be  six  or  eight  inches  apart,  made  shallow  and 
the  earth  pressed  upon  the  seed.  Keep  the  sash  carefully 
closed  until  the  plants  are  up,  and  then  give  air  in  warm 
days.  They  succeed  best  with  a  small  frame  to  them- 
selves, as  they  like  a  higher  heat  than  is  desirable  for 
other  plants.  As  very  few  plants  are  required,  they  may 
be  planted  in  a  small  box  without  bottom,  placed  on  the 
ordinary  hot-bed  and  covered  with  a  square  of  glass.  Prick 
them  out,  when  two  inches  high,  into  small  pots,  and  after- 
wards transfer  them  to  larger  ones,  as  directed  for  the 
tomato.  They  can  thus  be  planted  out  with  the  ball  of 
earth  entire.  Do  not  put  them  out  until  settled  warm 
weather,  for  if  the  plants  get  chilled  while  young,  their 
growth  is  so  checked  that  they  may  never  fully  recover. 

The  plants,  when  young,  are  often  destroyed  in  a  day 
or  two  by  a  minute  flea.  Keep  them  closely  covered  un- 
til well  out  of  the  seed-leaf,  and,  if  attacked,  sprinkle  them 
with  a  solution  of  aloes  or  quassia,  and  dust  them  with 
lime  and  sulphur. 

It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  sow  the  seed  in  the  open 
ground,  as  they  would  be  so  late  in  coming  into  use. 
Prepare  the  final  bed  for  egg  plants  by  making  trenches 
three  feet  apart,  burying  in  them  old  cabbage  stumps, 
corn  stalks,  and  other  vegetable  refuse,  and  covering  them 
with  soil  twelve  inches  deep,  in  which  plant  out  the  egg 
plants  two  feet  apart  in  the  row.  Water  abundantly  un- 
til established.  Keep  the  ground  well  hoed  and  free  from 
weeds,  and  earth  up  the  plants  a  little  from  time  to  time. 
Twelve  to  twenty  plants  will  be  enough. 

For  Seed. — Allow  one  of  the  largest  fruits  from  a  pro- 
lific plant  to  ripen  seed.  It  will  keep  three  or  four  years. 

Use. — Egg  plant  is  used  by  the  French  in  various  ways 
in  soups  and  stews,  but  generally  cut  in  thin  slices,  and 


230  GAEDEXIXG  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

fried  in  batter.  They  are  not  commonly  liked  at  first, 
but  after  a  few  trials  become  very  agreeable  to  most 
tastes,  and  are  esteemed  a  delicacy.  Thoy  are  fit  for  use 
when  some  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  continue 
so  until  the  seeds  begin  to  change  color.  They  are  not 
unwholesome3  but  cannot  be  very  nourishing,  as  they  con- 
tain a  very  large  proportion  of  water.  Before  frying, 
they  should  be  cut  in  slices  a  quarter  to  a  half  of  an  inch 
thick,  and  piled  on  a  plate  with  alternate  layers  of  salt, 
in  order  to  remove  the  acrid  taste. 


ENDIVE. — ( Cicliorium  Endima.) 

Endive  is  a  hardy  annual,  a  native  of  China  and  Japan ; 
first  cultivated  in  England  in  1548.  The  root  leaves  are 
numerous,  large,  sinuate,  toothed,  and  smooth.  The  stem 
rises  about  two  feet  high,  producing  generally  blue 
flowers.  The  best  varieties  are : 

Large  Green-Curled. — A  fine,  hardy  variety,  with  long, 
beautifully  curled  leaves.  It  is  the  best  for  salads. 

Broad-leaved  Batayian  has  thick,  plain,  or  slightly 
wrinkled  foliage.  It  is  principally  used  for  cooking,  and 
making  a  larger  head  is  preferred  for  stews  and  soups, 
but  is  not  much  used  for  salads. 

White -flowered  Batavian  is  a  new  variety  which  blanch- 
es very  white  and  tender;  flowers  white.  These  two 
sorts  are  also  called  Scaroles.  Besides  the  above,  there 
is  another  species,  chicory  or  succory  ( C.  Intybusj)  a 
good  deal  used  as  a  winter  salad  in  Europe,  but  it  is 
mainly  cultivated  for  the  root,  which  is  dried  and  ground 
for  the  purpose  of  adulterating  coffee.  It  is  a  hardy  per- 
ennial, which  in  many  places  is  a  common  weed. 


VEGETABLES — DESCEIPTIOX   AND   CULTURE.  231 

Culture. — Endives  delight  in  a  light,  rich  soil,  dug 
deeply  to  admit  its  tap-roots,  and  to  serve  as  a  drain  for 
any  superfluous  moisture  in  the  winter  standing  crop. 
The  situation  should  be  open,  and  free  from  the  shade  of 
trees. 

If  desired  in  summer,  sow  as  early  in  the  spring  as 
possible.  The  main  crop  is  sown  near  Philadelphia  the 
1st  of  July  ;  here  in  August  or  September  for  fall  and  win- 
ter use.  Sow  at  this  season,  if  possible,  everything  just 
before  a  shower ;  draw  a  furrow  the  depth  of  the  hoe,  in 
the  bottom  of  which  scatter  the  seed  thinly,  and  cover 
slightly  with  earth,  pressing  it  upon  the  seed.  Plant  in 
the  evening,  if  dry,  and  before  covering  water  copiously 
with  the  line  rose  of  a  water-pot  in  the  drill ;  do  not  press 
the  earth  upon  the  seed  until  morning ;  shade  during  the 
day,  and  continue  watering  in  the  evening  until  the  plants 
get  rooted.  The  drills  should  be  twelve  or  fifteen  inches 
apart.  Hoe  freely  and  keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds ; 
thin  the  plants  when  two  inches  high;  those  removed 
may  be  transplanted  to  another  location;  choose  moist 
weather  for  this  purpose,  trim  the  leaves  a  little,  and  water 
moderately  every  evening,  until  the  plants  get  established 
and  during  very  long  droughts.  Those  left  in  the  seed 
bed  make  the  best  plants.  They  should  be  thinned  to  1.2 
or  15  inches  in  the  drill,  or  planted  out  that  distance 
apart,  the  JBatavian,  requiring  the  most  space. 

In  about  three  months  after  sowing,  as  they  grow  stocky 
and  full  in  the  heart,  the  leaves  being  about  eight  inches 
long,  tie  up  the  leaves  of  a  few  every  week  or  so  to  blanch, 
and  render  them  tender  and  remove  their  bitter  taste. 
Perform  this  in  dry  days.  The  curled  sort  will  some- 
times blanch  pretty  well  if  neatly  earthed  up  without 
being  tied,  but  it  is  better  to  tie  it.  The  broad  leaved 
from  its  loftier  and  looser  growth  needs  a  bandage.  Fold 
the  leaves  round  the  heart  as  much  as  possible  in  their 
natural  position,  and  tie  them  up  with  a  string  or  shred 


232  GAKDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

of  bass;  then  cover  them  entirely  with  sand  in  the 
form  of  a  cone,  making  the  surface  smooth  and  firm. 
This  must  be  done  in  dry,  but  not  frosty  weather,  as  the 
plants  will  rot  if  the  leaves  are  wet  or  frozen.  They  may 
also  be  blanched,  under  garden  pots  like  sea-kale,  or  by 
merely  tying  them  closely,  winding  the  string  several 
times  round  the  plant  and  closing  the  top,  so  as  to  ex- 
clude the  rain,  drawing  the  earth  around  the  base  to  sup- 
port it.  This  is  the  best  mode  in  hot  weather ;  in  autumn 
they  will  blanch  in  ten  days,  in  winter  they  require  nearly 
twice  that  time.  Succory  to  blanch  is  taken  up  and 
planted  in  boxes  of  mould,  which  are  carried  into  a  cellar 
or  dark  room  and  watered  when  necessary.  The  blanched 
leaves  will  be  supplied  all  winter.  Endive  needs  no  pro- 
tection in  our  Southern  winters.  At  the  North  it  is  taken 
up  with  earth  about  the  roots,  and  wintered  in  frames. 

For  Seed. — Let  some  of  the  best  and  most  vigorous 
plants  remain  till  February,  and  transplant  if  you  wish  to 
use  the  ground,  in  rows  eighteen  inches  apart.  Support 
the  stems  by  stakes,  and  gather  the  seed  vessels  as  they 
ripen.  Dry  them  thoroughly  on  a  cloth,  thresh,  and  pre- 
serve in  paper  bags.  The  seed  will  keep  four  years. 

Use. — Endive  is  cultivated  for  its  stocky  head  of  leaves, 
which,  after  their  bitterness  is  removed  by  blanching,  are 
used  in  autumn  and  winter  for  salads  and  stews.  It 
possesses  a  good  deal  of  the  virtues  of  the  dandelion ;  it 
never  disagrees  with  the  stomach,  but  suits  every  consti- 
tution. The  French  use  it  in  a  variety  of  forms,  raw, 
stewed,  boiled,  etc.,  but  it  is  chiefly  employed  as  a  salad. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  233 

GARLIC.— (AlUum  sativum.) 

This  is  a  hardy  perennial  from  Sicily  and  the  south  of 
France;  it  has  been  cultivated  at  least  three  hundred 
years.  There  are  two  sorts,  one  with  large  and  the  other 
with  small  bulbs ;  each  bulb  consisting  of  a  half  dozen  or 
more  small  bulbs  or  -cloves. 

Culture. — Garlic  likes  a  dry,  light,  rich  soil,  but  not 
freshly  manured ;  the  manure  should  be  put  on  the  pre- 
ceding crop.  Prepare  the  ground  as  directed  for  the  rest 
of  the  onion  tribe,  and  mark  it  off  into  drills  eight  inches 
apart.  Plant  the  cloves  four  inches  distant  in  the  drills, 
and  two  inches  deep,  and  see  that  they  are  put  in  right 
side  up.  Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds,  and  light  by 
frequent  hoeing ;  plant  from  October  to  March. 

A  few  roots  may  be  taken  up  the  latter  part  of  May 
for  use  as  required,  but  do  not  lift  the  crop  until  the  leaves 
are  withered.  Break  down  the  seed  stalk  if  it  rises,  to 
prevent  it  from  running  to  seed,  which  would  lessen  the 
size  of  the  bulbs. 

When  the  leaves  turn  yellow,  take  up  the  bulbs  and  dry 
them  thoroughly  in  the  shade,  tie  them  together  by  the 
tops,  and  lay  them  up  for  winter  in  a  dry  loft  as  you 
would  onions.  If  the  ground  is  not  needed  for  another 
crop,  they  may  remain  to  be  drawn  as  wanted. 

Use. — This  plant  has  a  well-known,  strong  penetrating 
odor,  which  is  most  powerful  at  midday.  In  medicine  it 
is  an  excellent  diaphoretic  and  expectorant;  a  diuretic 
when  taken  internally,  and  has  a  reputation  as  an  anthel- 
mintic  or  worm  destroyer.  Some  nations  use  it  very 
extensively  for  seasoning  soups  and  stews,  and  indeed  it 
enters  into  almost  every  dish ;  but  in  this  country  it  is  not 
very  much  liked.  Still,  a  very  slight,  scarcely  perceptible 
flavor,  or,  as  the  French  have  it,  a  soupqon  (suspicion)  of 
garlic  is  not  repugnant,  but  rather  agreeable  to  most 
tastes.  The  juice  is  a  good  cement  for  broken  china. 


234  GAEDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 


GROUND^  PEA-— (AracJiis  Jiypogcea.) 

This  plant  is  likewise  known  as  the  Ground-nut,  Pindar, 
and  Pea-nut.  Although  not  exactly  belonging  to  the 
kitchen  garden,  a  few  hills  should  be  allow ed  a  place  for 
the  sake  of  the  little  folks.  It  is  a  trailing,  annual,  Legumi- 
nous plant,  a  native  of  South  America,  from  whence  it  was 
transported  to  Africa  and  our  own  country.  It  is  one  of 
the  few  plants  which  ripen  seed  under  ground.  The  yel- 
low, pea-shaped  flower  springs  from  the  part  of  the  stem 
near  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  after  being  fertilized, 
the  flower  stem  elongates,  growing  from  four  to  eight 
inches,  turning  downward  until  the  small  tubercle  which 
is  to  be  the  future  seed-pod  reaches  and  penetrates  the 
earth.  The  st-ed  of  the  ground  pea  abounds  in  a  fine  oil, 
which  is  sometimes  expressed  for  table  purposes.  This 
oil  renders  it  a  very  valuable  crop  for  fattening  hogs, 
being  for  this  purpose  fully  equal  to,  and  probably  better 
than  corn.  The  vines  are  greedily  eaten  by  most  farm 
animals. 

Culture. — The  ground  pea  thrives  and  produces  best  on 
a  light,  sandy,  tolerably  fertile  soil,  with  a  good  clay  sub- 
soil. Like  clover,  it  possesses  a  long  tap-root,  which  ex- 
tends deep  into  the  earth,  drawing  thence  the  nutriment 
which  is  beyond  the  reach  of  many  of  our  cultivated  crops. 
The  soil  should  be  deep  and  mellow  and  well  broken  up, 
so  as  to  be  ready  for  planting  soon  after  the  heavy  frosts 
are  over.  The  last  of  March  or  the  first  of  April  is  a  suit- 
able time.  They  succeed  well  as  far  north  as  Virginia, 
beyond  which  they  may  be  started  early  in  hot  beds,  and 
transplanted  to  the  open  ground  when  the  weather  be- 
comes mild. 

For  field  culture,  they  may  be  planted  in  the  pod,  two 
in  the  hill ;  but  for  the  garden  should  be  shelled.  It  is 
best  to  drop  about  four  in  a  hill  on  the  level  ground,  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  235 

rows  being  laid  off  three  and  a  half  feet  wide  and  the  hills 
t\vo  feet  asunder;  cover  them  two  or  three  inches. 

When  they  come  up,  thin  them  to  two  in  a  hill,  and,  if 
there  be  any  vacancy,  transplant.  It  is  better  to  plant 
them  level  than  on  ridges,  as  they  are  less  liable  to  suffer 
from  drought.  As  they  continue  growing  all  the  season, 
it  is  well  to  get  them  started  as  soon  as  the  severe  frosts 
are  over.  The  only  after-culture  they  require  is  to  keep 
the  ground  clean  and  mellow,  and  a  slight  hilling  up  when 
they  are  laid  by.  They  will  produce  from  twenty-five  to 
seventy  or  eighty  bushels  per  acre,  according  to  soil  and 
culture,  and  are  as  easily  cultivated  as  corn. 


HORSE-RADISH. — (Nasturtium  Armoracia.) 

Horse-radish  is  a  Cruciferous  perennial  plant,  grow- 
ing naturally  in  moist  places  in  England,  and  various 
other  parts  of  Europe.  Its  flowers  are  white,  and  appear 
in  panicles  in  May.  It  has  long  been  an  inhabitant  of  the 
garden. 

Culture. — Horse-radish  delights  in  a  deep,  rich  mould, 
moderately  and  regularly  moist ;  the  roots  are  never  of 
good  size  if  grown  in  poor  soil,  or  under  the  shade  of  trees. 
It  seldom  produces  seed,  and  hence  is  propagated  by  sets 
provided  by  cutting  the  roots  and  offsets  into  lengths  of 
two  inches.  The  tops  and  crowns  of  the  roots  make  the 
best  set?,  as  they  are  earlier  and  make  a  finer  growth  than 
those  from  the  centre  of  the  root.  Each  set  should  have 
two  eyes.  The  finest  crops  are  made  by  trenching  the 
ground  two  feet  deep,  and  planting  the  cuttings  with  a 
long,  blunt-pointed  dibble.  It  may  be  done  late  in  the 
fill,  or  if  in  spring,  the  earlier  it  is  planted,  if  the  ground 


236  GARDEXIXG  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

is  suitable,  the  better.  The  rows  should  be  eighteen 
inches  apart,  the  plants  twelve  inches  in  the  row,  and 
planted  eight  or  ten  inches  deep.  After  the  beds  are 
planted,  smooth  the  surface  and  keep  clear  of  weeds,  arid 
avoid  treading  upon  the  beds,  as  they  should  be  kept  as 
light  as  possible.  If  planted  in  March,  a  crop  of  radishes 
or  lettuce  may  be  taken  off  the  ground  before  the  plants 
make  their  appearance.  They  speedily  root  and  send  up 
long,  straight  shoots,  those  appearing  in  April  that  were 
planted  in  autumn.  The  only  cultivation  is  to  keep  them 
free  from  weeds,  and  remove  the  decayed  leaves  in 
autumn.  Hoe  and  rake  the  bed  over  in  autumn,  and  also 
the  following  spring.  By  the  next  fall,  the  roots  are 
ready  to  take  up  as  wanted.  If  the  plants  throw  up  suck- 
ers, they  should  be  carefully  removed  as  they  appear. 

If  any  manure  is  applied  to  horse-radish,  it  must  be  put 
at  the  bottom  of  the  trench  before  planting,  or  the  plant 
will  send  out  side  shoots  in  search  of  the  manure,  which 
would  greatly  injure  the  crop. 

To  take  them  up,  a  trench  is  dug  along  the  outside  row 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  upright  roots,  which  are  cut  off 
nearly  level  with  the  original  planting.  The  earth  from 
the  next  row  is  turned  over  upon  them  to  the  desired 
depth,  and  so  on  until  finished.  The  pieces  of  roots  left 
will  send  up  new  shoots,  and  the  same  bed  will  produce 
well  in  this  way  five  or  six  years,  when  the  site  of  the 
plantation  should  be  changed ;  when  this  is  to  be  done 
every  piece  of  root  should  be  taken  up,  for  the  smallest  of 
them  will  vegetate  and  prove  troublesome  if  left.  The 
best  roots  come  from  fresh  plantations. 

JT^.-^Horse-radish  scraped  into  shreds  with  vinegar  is 
a  well-known  and  desirable  accompaniment  to  roast  beef. 
It  is  also  used  in  fish  and  other  sauces  and  chicken  salads, 
and  is  thought  to  assist  digestion.  The  shreds  pickled  in 
strong  vinegar  and  closely  stopped  in  glass  bottles  will 
keep  for  years. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUEE.  237 


HOP. — (Humulus  Lupulus.) 

The  hop  is  a  plant  of  the  Hemp  or  Nettle  Family,  with 
a  perennial  root,  throwing  out  many  herbaceous  climbing 
stems,  and  is  found  growing  wild  on  the  banks  of  rivers 
in  Europe,  Siberia,  and  our  own  country.  It  was  culti- 
vated in  England,  in  or  before  1525,  when  the  old  dog- 
gerel states : 

"  Hops,  heresy,  pickerel,  and  beer, 
Were  brought  into  England  in  one  year." 

A  few  roots  should  be  in  the  garden,  as  they  are  useful  in 
making  yeast  and  beer. 

Culture. — It  is  propagated  by  dividing  the  roots  in  au- 
tumn and  spring.  It  being  dioecious,  care  should  be  taken 
to  get  sets  from  the  pistillate  plants;  to  produce  the  crop 
in  perfection,  there  should  be  a  male  plant  in  the  vicinity. 
Give  the  plant  a  deep,  rich  soil;  put  two  or  three  plants, 
six  inches  apart,  in  a  hill,  making  with  the  plants,  when 
set,  a  triangle,  and  the  hills  six  or  eight  feet  apart.  Keep 
the  ground  free  from  weeds,  and  well  stirred.  Manure 
them  every  year.  Give  them  poles  twelve  or  fourteen 
feet  long,  and  two  or  three  poles  to  each  hilL  Gather 
when  of  a  strawtcolor,  and  the  inside  of  the  hop  is  cover- 
ed with  a  plentiful  yellow  dust,  and  the  seeds  are  brown ; 
dry  thoroughly,  and  put  them  up  in  bags  for  use. 

Uce. — The  principal  use  of  the  hop  is  in  the  preparation 
of  yeast,  etc.  The  young  shoots  and  suckers  are  boiled 
and  eaten  as  asparagus.  It  is  very  largely  cultivated 
in  fields,  to  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  ale  and  strong 
beer.  Its  medicinal  qualities  are  tonic  and  soporific.  In 
gardens  it  is  often  grown  as  a  screen,  to  hide  unsightly 
objects,  the  plants  being  set  twelve  inches  asunder  in  a 
row,  and  staked,  or  trained  on  a  trellis. 


238  GARDENING   FOK   THE    SOUTH. 

JAPAN  PEA.— W*  hupida.) 

This  is  an  erect-growing,  rough-hairy,  annual  Legumin- 
ous plant,  with  a  woody  stem,  growing  some  three  feet 
high,  branching  near  the  ground,  with  ternate  leaves,  re- 
sembling those  of  the  Kidney  bean.  There  are  three 
varieties ;  those  with  white,  red,  and  yellow  seeds. 

They  are  planted  at  the  same  time  with  Kidney  beans 
in  rows  3  feet  apart  and  2  feet  in  the  row,  leaving  but  one 
plant  in  the  hill ;  cultivate  as  corn.  The  peas,  when  ripe, 
after  soaking  over  night,  are  prepared  for  the  table  like 
Kidney  beans,  and  are  largely  used  for  preparing  the  soy 
sauce  of  Japan  and  China. 


KOHLRABI.— (Brassica  oleracea  var.  Caulo-rapa.) 

This  plant,  called  also  Turnip  Cabbage,  from  the  turnip- 
like  form  of  its  stem,  is  but  yet 
little  cultivated.  The  edible  part 
is  the  enlarged  short  stem,  which 
is  of  a  globular  form,  with  a  few 
leaves  on  top.  Its  culture  is  the 
same  as  the  cabbage,  except  that 
in  hoeing  care  must  be  taken  not 
to  throw  dirt  into  the  heart  of 
the  plant,  or  the  bulb  cannot 
form.  Keep  the  soil  flat  in  hoeing. 
The  Early  White  Vienna,  and 
Early  Purple  Vienna,  nre  the 
Fig.  68.— KOHLRABI.  best  for  the  garden.  It  is  cul- 
tivated exactly  like  the  Ruta-baga  turnip,  for  which,  when 
cooked  young,  it  is  an  excellent  substitute.  When  full 
grown,  it  is  used  for  feeding  stock.  It  is  very  hardy,  and 
needs  no  winter  protection  in  the  more  Southern  States. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUEE.  239 

LEEK.— (Allium  Porrum.) 

The  leek  is  a  hardy  biennial  of  the  onion  tribe,  found 
wild  in  Switzerland,  but  has  been  cultivated  in  gardens 
from  the  earliest  times.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures 
with  the  onion  as  one  of  the  vegetables  of  the  Egyptians ; 
and  at  the  present  day  is  often  associated  with  the  name 
of  St.  David,  the  patron  saint  of  the  Welsh.  This  plant 
endures  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold  without  injury. 

Ashes,  bones,  gypsum,  and  common  salt,  will  supply  the 
requisite  inorganic  materials  for  this  or  almost  any  other 
garden  crop.  A  compost  of  guano,  gypsum  and  charcoal 
would  be  very  beneficial. 

Varieties.— There  are  two  in  common  use ;  the  Scotch, 
which  is  the  larger  and  hardier,  and  the  ^London,  which 
by  many  is  considered  the  better  of  the  two,  both  tall, 
with  thick  steins,  and  broad  leaves.  The  Large  Rouen 
Leek,  with  dark  green  leaves  and  a  short  stem,  sometimes 
grown  to  the  thickness  of  a  man's  arm,  is  now  most  liked 
in  France.  Its  stem  is  said  to  grow  large  enough  for  use 
sooner  than  any  other,  and  it  is  now  much  esteemed. 

Culture. — The  leek  is  raised  solely  from  seed,  which  may 
be  sown  at  any  time  during  autumn,  winter,  and  spring, 
until  the  middle  of  April.  February  is  the  best  month 
for  the  purpose,  if  but  one  crop  is  raised. 

The  soil  for  leeks,  as  for  the  others  of  the  onion  tribe, 
should  be  light  and  rich, — the  blackest  and  most  fertile  soil 
of  the  garden — but  the  manure  applied  must  not  be  rank. 
The  same  guano  compost  may  be  applied  as  for  onions. 
They  are  generally  sown  broadcast,  but  it  is  a  much 
neater  method  to  sow  in  drills.  Make  the  drills  in  the  - 
seed-bed  eight  inches  apart,  and  about  an  inch  deep,  and 
scatter  the  seed  rather  thinly.  Press  fine  earth  upon  the 
seed,  as  directed  for  onions.  Some  gardeners  thin  them 
out,  and  allow  them  to  remain  in  the  seed-bed,  but  the 
leek  is  so  much  improved  by  transplanting  that  this  plan 


240  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

cannot  be  recommended.  When  the  plants  are  three  or 
four  inches  high,  they  must  be  weeded  and  thinned  to  one 
or  two  inches  apart,  and  frequently  watered  in  dry 
weather.  The  seed-bed  must  be  kept  clean  and  light  by 
weeding,  or  the  use  of  the  hoe  whenever  required,  until 
the  plants  are  six  or  eight  inches  high,  when  they  will  be 
fit  for  transplanting.  They  must  then  be  taken  away  from 
the  seed-bed,  the  ground  being  previously  well  watered, 
if  not  already  soft  and  yielding. 

Having  prepared  beds  four  feet  wide  by  spading  in  a 
quantity  of  well-rotted  manure,  lay  it  off  in  little  trenches 
twelve  inches  apart,  and  as  deep  as  the  hoe  will  conven- 
iently go.  Dibble  holes  three  inches  deep,  and  nine  inches 
apart  in  the  bottom  of  the  trenches,  in  which  set  out  the 
plants.  Press  the  earth  to  the  roots  and  neck  only,  and 
not  to  the  leaves.  The  tops  and  roots  may  be  slightly 
trimmed  and  shortened.  Some  prefer  planting  them,  as 
is  best  for  shallow  soils,  on  the  level  surface  of  the  pre- 
pared bed,  by  inserting  them  in  holes  made  with  the  dib- 
ble nearly  down  to  the  leaves,  with  the  whole  neck  be- 
neath the  surface,  that  it  may  be  well  blanched.  Choose 
a  moist  time  for  transplanting,  and  give  a  little  water 
should  they  droop.  A  portion  may  remain  in  the  seed- 
bed, six  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  but  they  do  not  grow  as 
large  as  the  transplanted  ones. 

The  beds  must  be  hoed  occasionally,  to  keep  them  free 
from  weeds  and  loosen  the  soil.  In  dry  weather  they 
should  be  freely  watered.  By  cutting  off  the  leaves  a  lit- 
tle about  once  a  month,  the  neck  will  swell  to  a  much 
larger  size ;  earth  them  up  gradually,  if  they  stand  on  a 
level  ground,  and,  if  in  the  trenches,  the  earth  should  be 
drawn  by  a  hoe,  little  by  little,  into  the  trenches,  as  the 
plants  increase  in  growth. 

If  a  very  early  crop  is  desired,  they  may  be  planted  in 
September,  and  the  plants  will  be  ready  to  set  out  the 
middle  of  February  ensuing,  and  will  come  into  use  in 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  241 

June  or  July.  Leeks  can  be  planted  between  almost  any 
other  crop  by  giving  six  inches  extra  room. 

For  Seed. — Some  of  the  finest  roots  of  last  year's 
growth  may  be  transplanted  in  February  eight  inches 
distant  in  a  row.  When  the  seed  stems  arise,  they  must 
be  supported  by  tying  them  to  stakes.  The  heads  should 
be  cut  when  changed  to  a  brownish  color,  with  about  a 
foot  of  the  stalk  attached,  for  the  convenience  of  tying 
them  into  bundles  of  three  or  four  to  dry.  When  dry, 
they  may  be  hung  up  in  a  dry  place,  and  kept  in  the  head 
until  wanted,  or  threshed  out  and  stored  in  paper  bags; 
the  seed  will  keep  two  years. 

Use. — The  whole  plant  is  much  used  in  soups  and  stews, 
but  the  most  delicate  part  is  the  blanched  stems.  From 
its  mild,  agreeable  taste,  it  is  esteemed  by  many  above  the 
onion. 


LENTIL. — (Ervum  Lens.) 

The  garden  lentil  is  an-  annual  Leguminous  plant  culti- 
vated in  France  for  its  flat  seeds,  of  which  two  are  con- 
tained in  each  pod.  Lentils  are  planted  at  the  same  sea- 
son with  snap  beans,  in  warm,  sandy  soil.  If  planted  in 
one  too  rich,  they  grow  vigorously,  but  produce  few  seeds. 
Sow  in  drills  20  inches  asunder,  covering  lightly,  and 
manage  them  like  the  snap  bean.  Harvest  when  the  stems 
begin  to  turn  yellow,  and  the  pods  of  a  dark  color,  but  do 
not  beat  them  out  of  the  pod  until  required  for  use,  as  in 
this  condition  they  remain  longer  fit  for  use  and  sowing. 

Green  or  dry  they  are  cooked  like  beans,  and  when  dry, 
should  be  boiled  two  hours  and  a  half.  Soak  in  water  be- 
fore boiling.  When  done,  add  butter,  pepper,  and  salt. 
11 


242  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

They  are  an  excellent  addition  to  soups,  being  very  nutri- 
tious. Like  beans  and  peas,  but  in  a  greater  degree,  they 
are  apt  to  be  unwholesome  for  those  of  weak  digestion. 


LETTUCE.— (Lactuca  satwa.) 

Lettuce  is  a  hardy,  annual,  Composite-flowered  plant, 
generally  considered  a  native  of  Asia.  The  Cos  lettuce, 
however,  came  from  the  Greek  island  of  Cos,  in  the 
Levant.  It  has  been  cultivated  in  England  since  1562. 

Of  the  two  great  families  of  lettuce,  the  Cos  varieties, 
which  grow  upright  and  of  an  oblong  shape,  and  require 
blanching,  though  more  esteemed  in  England,  do  not  gen- 
erally succeed  so  well  in  this  country,  except  at  the 
South,  where  they  may  be  sown  early  in  October.  The 
cabbage  varieties  are  more  hardy  and  free  growing,  and 
better  adapted  to  our  common  gardens. 

The  following  are  good  cabbage  lettuces : 

Hammer  smith,  or  Hardy  Green, — Leaves  thick,  dark 
green  ;  the  wrinkled  and  concave  seeds,  white ;  stands  the 
winter  better  than  any  other  sort,  but  in  summer  soon 
runs  to  seed. 

Butter,  or  Early  Cabbage,— Heads  small,  white,  crisp, 
and  closely  cabbaged ;  leaves  pale  yellowish  green ;  ex- 
cellent for  hot-bed  culture,  or  open  air ;  early  and  hardy. 

Brown  Dutch  (yellow  seeded). — Heads  much  larger; 
equally  tender  and  excellent,  and  closely  headed ;  with 
brownish  green  leaves. 

The  next  three  varieties,  if  sown  at  the  same  time  with 
the  above,  will  come  into  use  about  two  weeks  after  them : 

Royal  Cabbage, — Black  seed ;  heads  larger,  and  leaves 
of  a  darker  green  than  the  early  cabbage ;  equally  firm 
and  crisp. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  243 

Philadelphia  Cabbage. — Of  the  same  season  as  the 
preceding,  and  equally  good. 

Victoria  Cabbage. — Withstands  the  heat  rather  better 
than  the  two  preceding,  and  produces  large,  white,  crisp 
heads ;  perhaps  the  most  desirable  of  the  three. 

After  these  come  on : 

Curled  India. — Leaf  of  a  light  yellow  green,  and  very 
much  curled ;  a  very  distinct  sort ;  heads  large  and  close, 
but  not  so  fine  and  crisp  as  the  other  varieties,  but  will 
continue  to  head  much  later. 

Neapolitan. — Very  dwarf;  leaves  curled  and  serrated 
on  the  edges ;  head  large,  firm,  blanching  white,  crisp  and 
excellent ;  seeds  white.  It  soon  begins  to  head,  and  does 
not  run  to  seed  as  readily  as  most  kinds.  In  England 
it  is  considered  the  best  summer  cabbage  lettuce. 

The  best  Cos  lettuces  are : 

White  Paris  COS. — Very  large ;  leaves  pale  green,  obo- 
vate,  hooded  at  top,  closing  over  and  blanching  a  large 
heart  without  tying ;  becoming  white,  tender,  crisp,  and 
excellent ;  seeds  white.  Seeds  should  be  saved  only  from 
those  with  leaves  round,  concave,  and  inclined  to  hood  or 
turn  inwards.  The  best  summer  sort. 

Paris  Green  COS, — Very  like  the  last,  but  the  leaves  are 
of  a  darker  green  until  blanched ;  but  the  heart  is  white, 
crisp,  and  excellent.  Hardier  and  better  for  autumn  sow- 
ing than  the  last,  and  by  some  thought  of  equal  excel- 
lence. These  two  lettuces  scarcely  require  tying  for 
blanching,  and  are  always  good. 

Culture. — In  raising  good  lettuce  three  things  are 
necessary — good  seed,  good  soil,  and  frequent  hoeing;  and 
of  these  the  first  is  perhaps  the  most  important.  There  is 
generally  no  difficulty  in  making  lettuce  seed  vegetate, 
but  if  it  is  not  saved  from  good  heads  it  will  not  produce 
heads,  even  with  the  best  culture.  Lettuce  likes  a  good 
mellow  soil,  enriched  with  well-rotted  manure.  Good 


244  GAEDENTNG  FOK  THE  SOUTH. 

heads  will  not  grow  on  poor  ground.  Lettuce  may  be 
sown  in  autumn  for  six  or  eight  weeks  before  the  hard 
frosts  come  on,  and  transplanted  into  frames  for  winter 
cutting,  or,  protected  with  a  little  straw,  it  will  stand 
through  the  winter  in  the  open  air  and  be  planted  out  for 
heading  in  early  spring.  Hammersmith  and  Paris  Green 
Cos  are  best  for  autumn  sowing,  and  at  the  South  yield 
small  salad  in  mild  weather  through  the  winter.  A  sec- 
ond sowing  should  be  made  at  the  first  opening  of  spring, 
and  then  at  intervals  until  the  summer's  heat  comes  on. 

If  there  has  been  no  fall  sowing,  a  little  should  be  sown 
the  latter  part  of  winter  under  glass,  for  which  select 
Hammersmith  or  Early  Cabbage.  Give  it  plenty  of  air, 
but  keep  it  covered  nights  and  cold  days,  and  as  the 
weather  grows  mild,  leave  off  the  glass  altogether  a  little 
while  before  setting  out  in  the  open  air.  Fall-sown  But- 
ter lettuce  may  also  be  transplanted  under  glass  at  nine 
inches  apart,  and  the  table  be  kept  supplied  in  this  way 
with  fresh  heads  all  winter.  Plenty  of  air  must  be  given 
them,  and  they  should  be  covered  in  freezing  weather  only. 
For  a  fall  heading,  a  crop  can  be  sown  at  the  same  time 
with  turnips,  in  a  shady  situation,  which  being  transplant- 
ed, will  give  good  heads.  The  fall  and  summer  sowings 
do  much  better  if  thinned  to  a  suitable  distance,  and  al- 
lowed to  head  where  they  stand,  as  lettuce  plants  are  im- 
patient of  transplanting  in  hot  weather ;  but  they  may  be 
safely  moved  if  shielded  by  sun  shades. 

Lettuce  should  be  sown  in  drills  eight  inches  apart.  An 
ounce  of  seed  will  produce  about  ten  thousand  plants. 
Let  the  seed  be  very  lightly  covered,  and  if  dry  weather, 
press  the  earth  upon  it  by  walking  over  it  on  a  board,  or 
patting  it  with  the  back  of  the  spade.  Beds  about  four 
feet  wide  are  most  convenient.  If  the  lettuce  comes  up 
too  thickly  in  the  drills  it  must  be  thinned,  as  the  plants 
begin  to  crowd,  to  two  inches  apart.  Transplant  into 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  245 

the  ground  where  they  are  to  remain,  when  the  plants  show 
four  leaves.  The  Early  Cabbage  may  be  planted  nine 
inches  apart  each  way ;  but  the  other  varieties  will  not  do 
with  less  than  a  foot.  The  soil  into  which  they  are  to  be 
removed  to  head  must  be  rich,  light,  and  mellow.  Trans- 
plant in  moist  weather  with  a  trowel,  disturbing  the  roots 
as  little  as  possible.  Water  the  plants  until  established. 
Rabbits  are  very  fond  of  lettuce,  but  can  be  kept  off  by 
dusting  the  young  plants  with  ashes.  After  the  young 
plants  get  established,  give  them  frequent  hoeings ;  and 
if  good  seed  was  sown,  there  can  be  but  little  danger  of 
not  being  rewarded  with  beautiful  crisp  heads. 

Seed. — Some  of  the  finest  and  most  perfect  heads  of  the 
early  sown  crops  should  be  selected.  Each  variety  must 
be  kept  separate,  and  all  imperfect  heading  plants  near 
them  destroyed.  Tie  them  to  stakes,  and  gather  the 
branches  as  fast  as  they  ripen.  Dry  the  seed  in  the  shade, 
and  thresh  and  store  in  paper  bags.  Lettuce  seed  cannot 
be  relied  upon  when  more  than  two  years  old. 

Use. — Lettuce  is  the  most  popular  of  all  salads,  and  it 
is  also  sometimes  used  in  soups.  Boiled,  it  is  quite  equal 
to  spinach.  It  is  fit  to  boil  from  the  time  it  is  large  enough 
until  the  seed  stalk  begins  to  shoot  up.  Its  juice  contains 
a  narcotic  principle  somewhat  like  opium,  which  is  in 
small  proportion  when  young,  but  increases  with  the 
age  of  the  plant.  This  principle  has  not  the  constipating 
effects  of  opium.  A  tea  prepared  of  lettuce  leaves  is 
sometimes  used  in  cases  of  diarrhoea.  For  a  common 
salad,  let  the  leaves  be  carefully  picked  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, washed  and  drained  before  sending  to  the  table,  and 
provide  salt,  oil,  sugar,  and  vinegar,  that  each  person  may 
season  to  his  taste.  The  finer  salads  require  hard-boiled 
eggs,  mustard,  and  other  condiments. 


246  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

MAR  JOB  AM. — (Origanum  Onites,  and  0.  Marjorana.) 

There  are  four  species,  two  of  which  are  sufficient  for 
the  garden. 

Pot  Marjoram,  O.  Onites,  is  a  perennial  Labiate  plant 
from  Sicily.  It  is  propagated  generally  by  dividing  the 
roots  early  in  the  spring,  and  may  be  by  seed.  Plants 
should  be  set  in  rows  twelve  inches  apart,  and  ten  inches 
in  the  row,  in  a  light,  dry  soil,  and  a  warm  situation. 

Sweet  Marjoram,  0.  Marjorana^  is  a  tender  biennial 
commonly  grown  as  an  annual;  a  native  of  Portugal,  and 
has  been  cultivated  in  England  since  1573.  It  has  small, 
acute  leaves,  and  flowers  in  small,  close  heads.  Sow  in  a 
slight  hot-bed  early  in  spring,  and  transplant  when  the 
frosts  are  over  into  rows  nine  inches  apart  and  six  inches 
asunder  in  the  row ;  or  it  may  be  sown  in  shallow  drills 
in  the  open  air  after  the  ground  becomes  warm.  As  the 
seed  is  small,  cover  lightly  with  fine  earth  and  thin  out 
the  plants  to  the  proper  distance.  The  leaves,  green  or 
dried,  are  used  for  seasoning  soups,  stuffings,  etc. 


MARIGOLD,  OR  POT  MARIGOLD. 

(Calendula  offioinalis.) 

A  hardy  annual,  a  native  of  France,  Spain,  and  the 
south  of  Europe.  Its  bright  yellow  flowers  give  it  a  place 
in  the  flower-garden.  A  few  plants  only  are  needed  by 
any  family. 

There  are  two  varieties,  the  single  and  double;  the 
former  of  which  is  a  little  the  higher  flavored.  Sow  in 
autumn  or  early  in  spring  on  a  good  mellow  soil,  in  drills 
one  foot  apart,  or  broadcast ;  when  the  plants  are  up,  thin 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  247 

them  to  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  apart,  or  transplant  them 
that  distance,  if  more  plants  are  desired.  Water  until  estab- 
lished. The  flowers,  during  the  summer,  must  be  gather- 
ed, dried  thoroughly  in  the  shade,  a'nd  put  up  in  paper 
bags.  Leave  a  few  fine  flowers  for  seed.  The  darkest 
colored  ones  are  the  best.  The  flower  is  a  valuable  ingre- 
dient in  soups.  The  plant  is  now  but  little  used. 


MELON.    (Cucumis  Melo.) 

The  melon,  or  musk-melon,  is  a  tender,  trailing  annual, 
of  the  same  family  as  the  cucumber,  squash,  etc.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  be  from  Persia,  but  has  been  cultivated  in  all 
warm  climates  so  long,  that  it  is  difficult  to  assign,  with 
certainty,  its  native  country.  It  has  been  cultivated  in 
Southern  Europe  at  least  four  hundred  years.  It  is  the 
richest  and  most  delicious  of  all  herbaceous  fruits.  In 
England  its  culture  is  a  difficult  and  expensive  process, 
but  in  this  country  the  most  luscious  melons  are  raised 
almost  without  trouble. 

Melons  may  be  arranged  in  two  classes,  the  green-fleshed 
and  the  scarlet-fleshed,  the  colors  of  the  latter  shading 
through  orange  to  yellow.  The  varieties  are  very  numer- 
ous. The  best  for  garden  culture  are  the  green-fleshed. 

Beechwood. — One  of  the  best  and  most  productive  of 
its  class ;  ripens  quite  early,  about  twelve  days  after  the 
Christiana.  Fruit  medium  size,  oval,  netted  ;  skin,  green- 
ish yellow;  flesh,  pale  green,  rich,  melting,  and  very 
sugary. 

Citron. — "  Small,  roundish,  flattened  at  the  end,  regu- 
larly ribbed,  and  thickly  netted ;  skin,  deep  green,  be- 
coming pale  greenish  yellow  at  maturity;  rind  moder- 


248  GARDENING   FOE   THE    SOUTH. 

ately  thick;    flesh,  green,  firm,  rich,  and  high  flavored. 
Pretty  early."     (Downing.)     Best  for  general  use. 

Skillman'S  Fine  Netted.—"  Earliest  of  the  green-fleshed 
melons.  Small,  rough-netted,  flattened  at  the  ends.  Flesh 
green,  very  thick,  firm,  sugary,  and  of  the  most  delicious 
flavor."  (Downing.) 

Hoosainee. — A  Persian  melon.  Fruit  oblong,  oval,  and 
of  good  size  ;  skin,  light  green,  netted  ;  flesh,  pale  green- 
ish white,  tender,  sweet  and  rich  ;  bears  well ;  rather  late. 

The  pine-apple  is  one  of  this  class,  and  one  of  the  best 
for  forcing.  Good  and  productive. 

Christiana i — Scarlet-fleshed;  an  orange-fleshed  variety 
from  near  Boston ;  a  week  or  ten  days  earlier  than  the 
citron ;  round  ;  skin  dull  yellow  when  ripe ;  very  good, 
but  inferior  to  all  the  green-fleshed  sorts,  though  valuable 
from  its  earliness. 

Netted  Cantaloupe. — Fruit  rather  small,  round,  pale 
green,  netted ;  flesh,  orange  red,  sweet  and  rich ;  the  best 
of  the  scarlet-fleshed,  which  are  never  equal  to  the  others. 

There  are  also  several  varieties  of  winter  melon  culti- 
vated in  Spain.  The  best  of  these  are  said  to  be  Melon 
cThiver  d  chair  blanche,  which  will  keep  in  a  dry  room 
until  February;  green-fleshed,  juicy,  sweet  and  good: 
Melon  cThiver  d  chair  rouge  /  like  the  last,  but  red-fleshed, 
and  does  not  keep  so  well:  Melon  de  Valence ;  large, 
egg-shaped,  thin  rind,  shaded  green,  white-fleshed,  juicy, 
and  very  sweet,  and  an  excellent  keeper. 

An  analysis  of  the  melon  shows  it  to  contain  about  90|100 
of  water. 

Culture. — The  melon  likes  a  rich,  sandy  soil,  well  ma- 
nured, and  deeply  dug.  If  the  soil  is  clay,  it  should  be 
corrected  by  the  addition  of  charcoal-dust,  sand,  or  leaf- 
mould  from,  the  woods.  The  most  luscious  melons  are 
grown  on  new  land,  fresh  from  the  woods.  They  like, 
also,  soil  manured  by  cow-penning.  In  selecting  seed,  get 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  249 

the  oldest  to  be  had,  and  take  great  care  to  get  that  which 
is  perfectly  pure,  for  the  seed  of  melons  raised  in  proxim- 
ity to  gourds,  cucumbers,  pumpkins,  etc.,  will  produce 
new  varieties,  destitute  of  flavor.  All  plants  of  this  fam- 
ily are  exceedingly  liable  to  intermix,  to  their  great 
detriment.  They  will  deteriorate,  if  planted  within  one 
hundred  feet  of  each  other. 

Plant  in  the  open  ground  when  the  frosts  are  over,  a 
little  later  than  the  general  corn  crop  is  planted.  In  sec- 
tions where  the  seasons  are  too  short  for  it  the  melon  is 
planted  in  pots  in  a  hot-bed,  and  the  maturity  of  the  crop 
may  be  hastened  every  where  in  this  way.  When  the 
ground  is  warm,  the  balls  are  taken  from  the  pots,  and 
set  where  they  are  to  remain,  protecting  them  with  sun- 
shades a  little  at  first,  or  with  hand-glasses,  if  cold.  Have 
about  three  plants  to  each  pot.  In  the  open  ground,  plant 
in  hills  six  feet  apart,  and  ten  seeds  to  a  hill,  an  inch  deep. 
Thin  to  three,  and  finally  two,  in  a  hill.  Make  the  hills  as 
for  cucumbers.  Superphosphate  of  lime  has  an  almost 
magical  effect  in  improving  the  size  and  hastening  the 
maturity  of  the  melon.  The  insects  are  the  same  as 
attack  the  cucumber,  and  a  little  guano  sprinkled  around 
the  hill,  not  too  near  the  plants,  and  intermingled  with  the 
surface  soil,  will  also  by  its  pungent  smell  drive  off  the 
bug  and  flea,  and  also  prove  a  very  valuable  fertilizer  of 
the  plants.  Watering  with  guano  water  for  the  same 
purpose  is  very  beneficial.  Until  the  vines  touch,  keep 
the  ground  about  them  fresh  dug,  mellow,  and  free  from 
weeds.  When  the  vines  begin  to  run,  and  show  the  first 
blossom,  they  must  be  stopped  by  pinching  off  the  ex- 
treme bud,  as  in  the  cucumber.  This  will  render  them 
earlier  and  more  prolific  in  large  fruit.  Their  whole 
culture  is  like  that  of  the  cucumber,  and  they  may  be 
forced  in  the  same  manner.  In  sections  where  the  melon 
worm  destroys  the  later  grown  fruits,  get  them  into  bear- 
ing as  early  as  may  be.  This  is  a  green  worm,  the  prog- 
11* 


250  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

eny  of  some  moth,  which  crawls  up  from  the  ground,  eat- 
ing its  "way  into  melons,  squashes,  cucumbers,  etc.,  admit- 
ting the  air,  and  causing  them  to  decay  at  once,  and  fill 
the  atmosphere  about  them  with  a  most  disagreeable  and 
sickening  odor.  I  know  no  remedy ;  but  when  the  first 
fruit  is  attacked,  early  in  August  here,  the  vines  are 
removed  and  other  crops  put  in. 

To  Save  Seed. — Select  of  each  variety  some  of  the 
earliest  and  best  melons ;  wash  the  seed  from  the  pulp, 
dry  them  in  the  shade,  and  put  away  in  paper  bags. 
They  will  keep  ten  years.  Old  seed  is  more  prolific  in 
fruit  than  new.  Be  sure  and  plant  the  oldest  seed  to 
be  had,  if  it  appears  well  preserved ;  seeds  will  not  be  true 
if  the  varieties  are  within  one  hundred  feet  of  each  other. 

Use. — The  melon  as  a  palatable  and  luscious  fruit,  very 
cooling  in  hot  weather,  maintains  a  high  rank.  It  is  usu- 
ally eaten  with  salt  alone,  though  many  like  the  addition 
of  sugar  and  spices.  That  it  is  wholesome  is  proved  by 
its  constant  use  while  in  season  as  an  article  of  food 
among  the  people  of  Southern  Europe.  The  musk-melon 
contains  but  a  trifle  more  water  than  the  beet,  and  is 
quite  as  nourishing.  It  contains  albumen,  casein,  dex- 
trin and  sugar,  which,  combined  with  citric,  malic,  and 
tartaric  acid,  give  its  peculiar  rich  flavor.  The  green 
fruit  may  be  cooked  like  the  egg-plant,  and  is  also  made 
into  mangoes. 


MUSHROOM. — (Agaricus  campestris.) 

"The  mushroom,"  says  Loudon,  "is  a  well-known  native 
vegetable,  springing  up  in  open  pastures  in  August  and 
September.  It  is  most  readily  distinguished  when  of  mid- 
dle size,  by  its  fine  pink  or  flesh-colored  gills  and  pleasant 
smell.  In  a  more  advanced  stage  the  gills  become  of  a 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  251 

chocolate  color,  and  it  is  then  more  apt  to  be  confounded 
with  other  kinds  of  dubious  quality;  but  the  species  which 
most  nearly  resembles  it  is  slimy  to  the  touch,  having  a 
rather  disagreeable  smell ;  further,  the  noxious  kind  grows 
in  woods,  or  in  the  margin  of  woods,  while  the  true  mush- 
room springs  up  chiefly  in  open  pastures,  and  should  be 
gathered  only  in  such  places." 

Some  of  the  species  of  this  genus  are  very  poisonous. 
The  mushroom  is  remarkable  for  its  close  assimilation  in 
taste  to  animal  matter.  It  is  beginning  to  be  extensively 
cultivated  in  this  country  near  our  large  cities. 

Culture. — Beds  may  be  readily  constructed  at  any  time 
of  the  year,  except  between  April  and  September,  when 
the  temperature  is  rather  too  high  for  successful  culture, 
unless  in  the  cool  cellar  of  some  outhouse.  But  November 
and  December  are  the  best  months  for  the  purpose.  Mush- 
rooms are  propagated  by  spawn,  which  may  be  obtained 
for  commencing  from  the  seedsmen  of  our  large  cities. 
After  a  little  spawn  is  obtained,  it  may  be  increased  as  fol- 
lows:— Take  a  quantity  of  fresh  manure  from  high-fed 
horses,  mixed  with  short  litter ;  add  one-third  cow's  dung, 
and  a  good  portion  of  loamy  mould.  Incorporate  them 
thoroughly,  mixing  them  with  the  drainings  of  a  dung  heap, 
and  beat  them  until  the  whole  becomes  of  the  consistency 
of  a  thick  mortar.  Spread  the  mixture  on  the  level  floor 
of  an  open  shed,  and  beat  it  flat  with  a  spade.  When  it 
becomes  dried  to  the  proper  consistency,  cut  it  into  bricks 
about  eight  inches  square ;  set  them  on  edge  and  turn  fre- 
quently until  half  dry,  then  dibble  two  holes  about  half 
through  each  brick,  and  insert  in  each  hole  a  piece  of  good 
spawn  ;  close  it  with  a  moist  composition  similar  to  that  of 
which  the  bricks  were  made,  and  let  them  remain  until 
nearly  dry.  Then  somewhere  under  cover  place  a  bottom 
of  dry  horse-dung  six  inches  thick,  and  place  the  bricks, 
spawn  side  up,  one  upon  another.  The  pile  may  be  made 
three  feet  high ;  cover  it  with  warm  horse-dung  sufficient 


252  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

to  diffuse  a  gentle  heat  through  the  whole.  The  heat 
should  not  be  over  70°,  and  the  pile  should  be  examined 
the  second  day  to  see  that  it  does  not  overheat.  When 
the  spawn  is  diffused  entirely  through  the  bricks  the  proc- 
ess is  finished.  The  bricks  should  then  be  laid  separately 
in  a  dry  place,  and  if  kept  perfectly  dry,  retain  their 
vegetative  power  for  many  years.  One  bushel  of  spawn 
will  plant  a  bed  four  feet  by  twelve. 

Beds  for  mushrooms  may  be  made  anywhere  in  a  dry 
situation  under  cover.  Make  them  four  feet  wide  and  from 
ten  to  fifteen  feet  long,  according  to  the  wants  of  the  fam- 
ily. A  small  shed  might  be  erected  for  the  purpose,  but 
the  back  of  a  green-house  is  a  very  good  situation,  as  they 
do  not  need  much  light.  Space  must  be  left  for  an  alley, 
and  if  the  shed  be  ten  feet  wide,  it  will  admit  of  a  bed  on 
each  side. 

Mushrooms,  like  other  fungi,  abound  in  nitrogen ;  hence 
this  substance  is  necessary  to  their  nourishment,  and  unless 
substances,  like  horse  dung,  rich  in  nitrogen,  are  supplied, 
it  is  useless  to  attempt  their  culture.  Earthy  materials 
are  added  to  prevent  the  escape  of  ammonia,  which  would 
pass  off  in  fermentation,  and  the  substances  used  are  beat- 
en and  trodden  to  render  the  mass  compact,  that  fermenta- 
tion may  be  slower  and  more  lasting.  The  process  of 
making  the  beds  is  as  follows. 

A  sufficient  quantity  of  the  droppings  of  hard-fed  hors- 
es, pretty  free  from  litter,  must  be  obtained,  which,  while 
collecting,  must  be  kept  dry,  and  spread  out  thinly  and 
turned  frequently  to  prevent  violent  heating.  When  the 
rank  steam  has  escaped,  the  bed  may  be  built.  The  site 
should  be  dry.  Dig  out  the  earth  six  inches  deep,  the  size 
of  the  bed,  and  if  good  lay  it  aside  for  use.  Fill  this 
trench  with  good  fresh  dung  for  the  bottom,  and  lay  on 
this  the  prepared  dung,  until  the  whole  is  six  inches  thick 
above  the  surface ;  beat  it  down  firmly  with  the  back  of 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION    AND    CULTURE.  253 

the  fork,  and  build  up  the  sides  with  a  slight  but  regular 
slope.  Let  the  bed  slope  downwards  towards  the  walk, 
lay  over  it  three  inches  of  good  clayey  loam ;  place  anoth- 
er layer  ten  or  twelve  inches  thick  of  prepared  dung,  and 
in  the  same  manner  continue  until  the  bed  is  two  and  a 
half  or  three  feet  thick.  Cover  the  bed  with  clean  litter, 
to  prevent  drying  and  the  escape  of  the  gases,  and  let  it 
remain  ten  days,  or  until  the  temperature  becomes  mild  and 
regular ;  about  60°,  and  certainly  not  less  than  50°,  is  the 
proper  degree  of  warmth.  Here  skill  and  practice  are  most 
required,  for  on  the  treatment  at  this  precise  point,  the 
success  of  the  bed  depends.  If  the  manure  has  a  brown  color, 
and  is  so  loose  and  mellow  that  when  pressed  it  will  yield 
no  water,  but  has  a  fat,  unctuous  feel,  without  any  smell 
of  fresh  dung,  the  bed  is  in  a  right  state.  If  it  is  dry  and 
hard,  or  sloppy  and  liquid,  it  is  not  in  the  proper  condition. 
In  the  first  case  moderate  watering  may  restore  it,  but  in 
the  latter  the  superabundance  of  water  will  probably  spoil 
it,  and  it  is  better  to  commence  anew.  When  the  bed  is 
ready,  break  the  bricks  of  spawn  into  lumps  the  size  of  a 
walnut,  which  plant  regularly  six  inches  apart  over  the 
surface  of  the  bed,  including  its  sides  and  ends,  just  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  manure.  Level  the  surface  by  gently 
smoothing  with  the  back  of  the  spade.  Fine  rich  loam, 
rather  light  than  otherwise,  is  then  put  on  two  inches  thick. 
Lastly  a  covering  of  straw  from  six  to  twelve  inches,  ac- 
cording to  the  temperature.  If  the  bed  gets  too  hot,  take 
off  most  of  the  covering.  When  the  bed  appears  too  dry, 
sprinkle  it  gently  with  soft  tepid  water  in  the  morning. 
The  water  should  be  poured  through  the  rose  of  a  water- 
ing-pot upon  a  thin  layer  of  straw,  laid  on  for  the  purpose, 
and  when  the  earth  becomes  a  little  moistened,  the  straw 
should  be  removed,  and  the  dry  covering  replaced.  In 
•warm  weather  it  will  need  frequent  sprinkling,  but  in  win- 
ter very  little. 

As  cow-manure,  though  it  contains  less  ammonia,  retains 


254  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

its  heat  longer  than  that  of  the  horse,  a  mixture  of  the  two 
may  be  safely  employed. 

In  four  or  five  weeks  after  spawning,  the  bed  should  be- 
gin to  produce,  and  if  kept  dry  and  warm  will  last  several 
months.  A  gathering  may  take  place  two  or  three  times 
a  week  according  to  the  productiveness.  If  it  should  not 
come  on  in  two  or  three  months,  a  little  more  warmth 
or  a  sprinkling  of  water  will  generally  bring  it  into  plen- 
tiful bearing,  unless  the  spawn  has  been  destroyed  by  over- 
heating or  too  much  moisture.  In  gathering  the  mush- 
rooms detach  them  with  a  gentle  twist  and  fill  the  cavity 
with  mould ;  do  not  use  a  knife,  as  the  stumps  left  in  the 
ground  become  the  nurseries  of  maggots,  which  are  liable 
to  infest  the  succeeding  crop.  Gather  before  they  become 
flat,  when  half  an  inch  or  more  in  diameter,  and  still  com- 
pact and  firm. 

Use. — This  "voluptuous  poison"  has  been  cultivated 
and  in  high  esteem  among  epicures  since  the  time  of  the 
Romans.  They  are  employed  in  catsups,  pickles,  and  rich 
gravies,  and  considered  by  those  accustomed  to  them  very 
delicious.  Dried  and  powdered  they  are  preserved  in  close- 
ly stopped  bottles  for  times  when  they  are  not  to  be  pro- 
cured fresh. 


MUSTARD.— (Sinapis  alba,  and  S.  nigra.) 

The  leaves  of  the  White  Mustard,  (S.  alba)  are  used  for 
salads,  and  the  seed  of  the  Black  Mustard,  (S.  nigra)  fur- 
nishes the  well-known  condiment.  Both  are  hardy  annual 
Cruciferous  plants,  and  succeed  in  any  good  common  loam, 
but  where  sown  in  September  to  stand  the  winter,  as  is  com- 
mon in  the  South  for  early  greens,  the  soil  should  be  rather 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  255 

dry.  White  Mustard  may  be  sown  any  time  of  the  year 
for  a  salad,  in  the  same  manner  as  cress,  which  see.  It 
must  be  used  when  the  seed-leaf  is  just  expanded,  for  if 
it  gets  into  the  rough  leaf  it  is  fit  for  nothing  but  greens. 
For  use,  cut  them  off  with  a  sharp  knife.  They  should  be 
used  soon  after  gathering.  Mustard  for  greens  or  for  seed 
should  be  sown^broadcnst  or  in  drills  eighteen  inches  apart, 
to  be  finally  thinned  to  about  a  foot  in  the  drill.  The 
leaves  at  the  South  are  gathered  the  latter  part  of  winter 
or  in  early  spring.  Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds. 
When  grown  for  seed,  gather  when  the  pods  change  color, 
and  thresh  when  dry. 

Use. — The  tender  leaves  of  both  species  are  used  for 
salads,  and  should  be  more  cultivated  for  this  purpose. 
They  are  also  much  cultivated  for  greens.  The  seeds 
of  the  white  variety,  ground,  form  the  Durham  or  London 
table  jnustard,  but  the  flour  of  the  black  sort  is  that  from 
which  our  American  table  mustard  is,  or  ought  to  be, 
made.  The  seeds  may  be  ground  in  a  common  spice  mill 
or  crushed  by  a  roller  on  a  table.  In  this  country  the  flour 
is  usually  sifted  after  grinding,  but  the  French  do  not  sep- 
arate the  husk,  and  thus  make  a  brownish  flour,  more  pow- 
erful and  palatable  than  the  other.  Mustard  is  a  very 
agreeable  condiment,  assisting  digestion  and  promoting  ap- 
petite. The  seed  used  whole  is  an  excellent  seasoning  to 
various  kinds  of  pickles.  It  is  also  much  used  in  medicine, 
both  by  the  faculty  and  in  domestic  practice.  It  is  an  ac- 
rid stimulant,  and  in  large  quantities  acts  as  an  emetic. 
The  proper  dose  for  the  latter  is  from  a  teaspoonful  to  a 
tablespoonful  in  a  glass  of  water.  Mustard  is  a  local 
excitant  applied  to  the  skin  in  a  cataplasm,  made  of  the 
ground  meal  with  vinegar  or  lukewarm  water ;  if  mixed 
with  boiling  water  the  acrid  principle  will  not  be  developed. 


256  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

NASTURTIUM,  or  INDIAN  CRESS. 

(Tropcsolum  majus  and  T.  minus.) 

There  are  two  species,  the  Large  Nasturtium  (T.  majus) 
and  the  small  Nasturtium  (T.  minus)  both  from  Peru, 
where  they  are  perennials,  but  are  here  treated  as  annuals. 
The  large  species  was  introduced  into  England  in  1681. 
The  stalks  are  long  and  trailing;  the  leaves  have  their 
petioles  fixed  at  the  centre.  Flowers  helmet-shaped, 
of  a  rich,  brilliant  orange,  and  continue  from  their  first 
appearance  all  summer ;  and  if  not  so  common  would  be 
thought  very  beautiful.  The  small  sort  is  preferable  for 
the  garden,  being  productive  and  needing  no  support. 

Culture. — Nasturtiums  flourish  in  a  moist  soil,  but  do 
best  in  a  good,  fresh  loam.  If  the  soil  is  too  rich,  the  plants 
are  luxuriant,  but  do  not  bear  so  abundantly,  and  the  fruit 
is  of  inferior  flavor.  Give  them  an  open  situation.  Sow 
in  spring  when  the  ground  gets  warm ;  put  the  seeds  an 
inch  deep  and  four  inches  apart,  covering  them  three-fourths 
of  an  inch.  The  seed  must  be  of  the  preceding  year's 
growth.  They  may  be  sown  by  the  side  of  a  fence  or 
trellis.  If  more  than  one  row  is  sown,  they  should  be  at 
least  four  feet  apart.  Thin  the  plants,  when  they  are  well 
up,  to  a  foot  in  the  drill.  Hoe  the  ground  well,  and  keep 
down  the  weeds.  If  sown  in  the  open  ground,  support 
them  as  you  would  peas  with  lattice  or  brush.  Give  the 
plants  a  little  assistance  in  fastening  themselves  to  the 
trellis.  Water  in  dry  weather.  Gather  the  fruit  when 
full  grown,  but  while  still  fresh  and  green. 

For  Seed. — Let  some  of  the  berries  mature,  gather  them 
as  they  ripen,  spread  them  to  dry  and  harden,  and  store 
in  paper  bags. 

Use. — The  flowers  and  young  leaves  are  used  in  salads, 
and  have  a  warm  taste  like  water  cress.  The  flowers  are 
used  in  garnishing  dishes.  The  fruit,  gathered  green  and 
pickled,  forms  an  excellent  substitute  for  capers. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CUITUKE.  257 

OKRA-— (Hibiscus  esculentus.) 

This  is  an  annual  Malvaceous  plant,  a  native  of  the 
West  Indies,  and  much  esteemed  and  cultivated  wherever 
its  merits  are  known.  There  are  several  varieties — the 
round,  smooth  green,  and  the  long  fluted  or  ribbed  white, 
which  grow  tall ;  also  the  dwarf.  There  is  no  great  differ- 
ence in  quality,  but  the  dwarf  sort  is  best  for  gardens. 

Okra  likes  a  good,  dry  soil.  Any  soil  will  produce  it 
that  is  good  enough  for  the  cotton  plant,  which  belongs  to 
the  same  natural  family.  The  pods  are  not  as  pleasant  or 
early  on  over-rich  soil.  It  is  not  planted  until  the  frosts 
are  over,  as  it  is  tender,  though  it  often  comes  up  from  self- 
sown  seed.  The  time  of  planting  cotton  or  snap  beans  is 
a  very  good  guide,  though  some  may  be  put  in  as  an  exper- 
iment two  weeks  earlier.  Make  the  drills  three  feet  apart, 
sow  the  seed  rather  thinly,  and  thin  out  to  two  feet  apart 
in  the  drill.  Those  thinned  out  may  be  transplanted  and 
will  make  productive  plants.  No  seed  should  be  allowed 
to  ripen  on  those  stalks  from  which  the  pods  are  gathered 
for  eating.  As  fast  as  the  pods  become  hard  or  unfit  for 
use,  cut  them  off,  for  if  left  on,  the  stalk  will  cease  to  be 
productive.  If  not  allowed  to  ripen  seed,  the  plants  will 
continue  bearing  through  the  season.  The  dwarf  okra 
may  stand  about  fifteen  inches  apart  in  the  drill,  and  it  is 
well  when  any  plant  begins  to  fail  in  productiveness  to 
cut  it  down  to  a  foot  from  the  ground  and  it  will  soon 
throw  up  bearing  shoots. 

To  Save  Seed. — Leave  some  of  the  earliest  plants  to  ri- 
pen seed,  if  you  would  have  this  vegetable  in  good  season. 
Shell  out  the  seed,  and  stow  away  in  paper  bags. 

Use. — The  pods  gathered  in  a  green  state,  and  so  tender 
as  to  snap  easily  in  the  fingers,  are  the  parts  employed  in 
cooking.  If  old,  they  are  worthless.  They  are  very 
wholesome,  considerably  nutritious,  very  mucilaginous,  and 


258  GAEDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

impart  an  agreeable  richness  to  soups,  sauces,  and  stews. 
They  are  also  simply  boiled  in  salt  and  water,  and  served 
up  with  butter,  pepper,  &c.  Okra  can  be  preserved  for 
winter  use,  by  putting  down  the  pods  in  salt  like  cucum- 
bers, or  by  cutting  them  into  thin  slices  and  drying  like 
peaches.  When  dry,  put  up  in  paper  bags.  The  seed  is 
sometimes  used  as  a  substitute  for  coffee,  which  it  is  not 
very  likely  to  supersede. 


THE  ONION.— (Allium  Cepa.) 

The  genus  Allium  contains  several  of  the  most  useful 
plants  of  our  gardens.  In  it,  besides  the  proper  onions,  are 
included  the  Garlic,  Leek,  Rocambole  SKallots,  and  Chives, 
which  are  treated  of  in  their  several  places. 

YAEIETIES. — There  is  a  great  number  of  varieties  of 
onions,  among  which  are : 

Large  Red,  a  hardy  variety  raised  abundantly  in  the 
Northern  States  for  export.  It  is  deep  red,  medium  size, 
rather  flat,  and  keeps  well,  and  is  the  strongest  flavored. 

Yellow  Strasburg.— Large  yellow,  oval,  often  a  little 
flattened,  very  hardy  ;  keeps  exceedingly  well.  Best  for 
winter  use  at  the  South.  Flavor  strong. 

Yellow  Danvcrs. — Middle  size,  roundish  oblate;  neck 
slender ;  skin  yellowish-brown  ;  early  and  good ;  keeps  well. 

Silver-Skinned. — Of  smaller  size  but  finer  flavor,  silvery 
white,  flat,  and  very  much  used  for  pickling  on  account 
of  its  handsome  appearance  and  mild  flavor. 

Potato  Onion* — This  derives  its  name  from  forming  a 
number  of  bulbs  on  the  parent  root  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  soil.  It  ripens  early,  but  does  not  keep  until  spring.  A 
sub-variety  with  smaller  bulbs  is  said  to  produce  bulbs  on 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE. 


Fig.  69.— POTATO  ONION. 


the  stem  like  the  Top  Onion.     It  is  very  prolific,  and  af- 
fords a  supply  before  other  kinds  are  ready.     Plant  the 

offsets  in  rows  a  foot  apart 
and  ten  inches  in  the  row, 
three  inches  deep,  from  Oc- 
tober to  March. 

Top  or  Tree  Onion,— (Al- 
lium  Cepa.  var.  viviparum.) 
Is  said  to  have  originated  in 
Canada.  It  produces  little 
bulbs  ("buttons")  at  the  top 
of  the  seed  stems ;  hence  its 
name  "Tree  Onion".  This  is  the  easiest  to  manage  of  any 
of  the  onions,  is  of  good,  mild  flavor,  early  and  productive 
with  little  care,  so  that  it  is  a  favorite  in  climates  too  cold 
and  too  warm  for  the  other  varieties.  Plant  the  buttons 
from  October  to  March  in  drills  one  foot  apart  and  six 
inches  in  the  drill.  Plant 
the  apex  of  the  button  just 
beneath  the  surface  of  the 
soil.  The  small  top  bulbs 
are  fine  for  pickling. 

Ciboulc  or  Welsh  Onion, 

(Allium  fistulosum)  .—Of  two 
kinds,  white  and  red ;  is  quite 
distinct  from  the  common 
onion  and  does  not  bulb.  It 
is  sown  in  September  for 
drawing  early  in  spring. 
Flavor  strong,  very  hardy.  FIS-  W.-TOP  ONION. 

Thompson  describes  20  sorts  of  onion,  of  which  the  fore- 
going are  the  best.  Of  these  the  first  two  and  the  Top 
Onion  are  to  be  preferred  for  general  use. 

Culture. — Onions  are  raised  from  seed  or  sets,  which 
may  be  planted  from  October  to  April,  but  February  is 


260  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

the  best  month  for  the  purpose.  They  all  require  a  rich, 
friable  soil  and  a  situation  enjoying  the  full  influence  of 
the  sun,  and  free  from  the  shade  and  drip  of  trees.  If 
the  soil  be  poor  or  exhausted,  an  abundance  of  manure 
should  be  applied  some  time  before  planting  and  thor- 
oughly incorporated  with  it;  for  rank, unreduced  dung 
is  injurious,  engendering  decay.  If  applied  at  the  time  of 
planting,  the  manure  must  be  thoroughly  decomposed, 
and  turned  in  only  to  a  moderate  depth.  If  the  ground 
be  tenacious,  sand,  or  better  still,  charcoal  dust,  is  advan- 
tageous ;  ashes  and  soot  are  particularly  beneficial.  Com- 
mon salt,  at  the  rate  of  six  to  eight  bushels  per  acre,  is  an 
excellent  application  to  this  family  of  plants.  In  digging 
the  ground,  small  spadefuls  should  be  turned  over  at  a 
time,  that  the  texture  may  be  well  broken  and  pulverized. 

The  common  onion,  A.  Cepa,  a  Liliaceous  plant,  is  prob- 
ably a  native  of  Asia  and  Egypt,  has  been  cultivated 
from  the  most  remote  antiquity,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
useful  of  our  garden  crops. 

Ashes,  bone-dust,  gypsum,  and  the  salt  and  lime  mix- 
ture will  supply  nearly  all  the  inorganic  constituents  of 
this  crop  ;  and  where  they  do  not  already  exist  in  sufficient 
quantities  in  the  soil  they  may  be  supplied  in  addition  to 
animal  manure.  An  experienced  cultivator  states  that  when 
sufficient  manure  cannot  be  obtained,  four  hundred  pounds 
of  Peruvian  guano  composted  with  five  bushels  of  bone 
dust,  dissolved  in  sulphuric  acid,  and  enough  charcoal  dust 
to  divide  the  mass,  will  be  found  to  produce  a  maximum 
crop.  Guano  water  and  spent  lye  well  diluted  are  excellent 
liquid  manures.  They  do  not  require  a  change  of  soil, 
being  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  that  plants  like  a 
rotation,  as  they  have  been  grown  in  Scotland  a  century 
in  the  same  spot  without  any  diminution  of  the  crop. 

The  onion  can  be  grown  in  great  perfection  at  the  South. 
In  the  hot  climates  of  Spain,  Portugal,  and  especially 
Egypt,  the  finest  onions  in  the  world  are  produced,  the 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION    AND    CULTURE.  2G1 

roots  being  milder  and  of  greater  size  than  in  most  coun- 
tries. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  make  the  beds  just  wide  enough  for 
three  rows,  say  thirty  inches  wide,  with  a  narrow  alley  be- 
tween, which  may  be  filled  with  sweet  corn  or  cabbages, 
<after  the  crop  is  laid  by. 

But  in  common  gardens  beds  four  feet  wide  and  the 
rows  thereon  twelve  to  fourteen  inches  wide  are  most  con- 
venient. The  soil  of  the  beds  must  be  finely  dug,  the  sur- 
face rolled  smooth,  and  all  the  clods  beat  fine  that  may 
have  escaped  the  spade.  The  drills  should  be  drawn  very 
shallow,  as  the  best  onions  grow  upon  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  For  this  reason,  it  is  well  to  roll  the  bed,  or  beat 
it  smooth  with  the  back  of  the  spade,  before  making  the 
drills.  Some  soak  the  seed  twenty-four  hours  before  plant- 
ing, but  to  little  advantage.  Do  not  sow  very  thickly — 
only  one  or  two  seeds  in  a  place.  A  seed  every  inch  is 
quite  thick  enough,  as  thinning  out,  when  too  thick,  is  apt 
to  injure  the  remainder.  Cover  the  seeds  about  half  an 
inch  with  fine  sifted  soil,  and  press  down  the  earth  upon 
them  by  a  roller,  or  walking  over  them  on  a  plank. 

When  they  come  up,  thin  them  out  gradually  in  the 
drills,  to  six  inches  apart.  Keep  the  bed  clean  and  free 
from  weeds,  and  stir  it  frequently,  but  not  deeply,  with  a 
hoe.  Do  not  hill  the  earth  up  against  the  bulbs ;  but  draw 
it  away  from  them  with  the  fingers,  as  they  keep  better 
if  grown  pretty  much  above  the  ground.  There  is  no 
crop  more  easily  raised  or  preserved,  if  the  ground  is  rich 
enough,  and  the  bulbs  made  to  grow  upon  the  surface. 
After  the  young  onions  have  got  a  good  start,  it  is  best 
to  drop  the  hoe  entirely  and  resort  to  hand-weeding.  In 
dry  weather,  a  thorough  drenching  in  weak  liquid  manure, 
or  soapsuds,  is  excellent.  For  pickling,  the  white  kind 
should  be  sown  much  more  thickly,  and  thinned  out  until 
about  one  or  two  inches  apart  in  the  row,  which  will  cause 
them  to  ripen  early,  before  they  have  become  too  large. 


262  GARDENING   FOB   THE    SOUTH. 

If  onions  grow  thick-necked,  and  do  not  bulb  properly, 
bend  down  the  stems  about  two  inches  above  the  neck,  to 
the  ground,  without  disturbing  the  roots.  This  is  needful 
only  in  very  wet  seasons. 

When  very  large  bulbs  are  desired,  the  seed  may  be 
sown  quite  thick,  in  pretty  good  soil,  and  not  thinned  out 
at  all.  Little  bulbs  or  sets  will  form  about  the  size  of  the 
button  onion,  which  may  be  taken  up  when  the  tops  die, 
and  preserved  in  a  dry  loft  until  time  for  preparing  the 
bed,  and  then  may  be  planted,  instead  of  the  seed,  eight 
inches  apart  in  the  drills.  If  they  throw  up  a  seed  stalk, 
it  must  be  promptly  broken  off,  or  they  will  form  no  bot- 
toms. These  sets,  planted  out  early  in  the  year,  will  form 
fine  large  bulbs  in  May  or  June ;  while  those  raised  from 
the  seed  do  not  ripen  until  July.  Hence  the  latter  are 
better  keepers.  Besides,  they  are  better  flavored,  and 
more  solid.  The  little  bulbs  of  the  top  onion  are  managed 
like  these  sets. 

When  the  crop  is  ready  for  harvesting,  it  is  known  by 
the  drying  up  and  change  of  color  of  the  stems. 

The  Onion-fly,  (Anthomya  cepai^um^)  is  a  native  of 
Europe,  of  late  years  becoming  common  in  many  American 
gardens,  and  wherever  found  is  very 
destructive  to  the  crop.  The  parent  insect 
is  a  small  ash  gray  fly,  about  half  the  size 
of  the  common  house  fly.  The  female 
lays  her  eggs  on  the  leaves,  when  they 
are  very  young,  close  to  the  earth.  As 
soon  as  the  maggots  hatch,  which  is  when 
the  young  plants  are  about  the  size  of 
Fig.  71.  a  quill,  they  descend  between  the  coats 

of  the  onion  to  its  base,  feeding  upon  the  bottom  part 
of  the  bulb,  which  soon  becomes  rotten,  when  the  worm 
leaves  it,  to  enter  the  earth  and  complete  its  transform- 
ations. Figure  71  represents  the  larva  of  the  natural 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CHLTUKE. 


2G3 


size  at  a  and  at  #,  magnified  several  times.  Figure  72 
shows  the  way  in  which  the  insects  work  upon  the  young 
plant.  In  figure  73  the  perfect  insect  is  given,  the  natural 
size  of  which  is  indicated  by  the  cross  lines,  and  in  the  same 
figure  the  magnified  pupa  or  chrysalis 
is  shown  at  c?,  and  the  actual  size  at  a 
These  insects  increase  so  rapidly  that 
unless  destroyed  at  their  first  appear- 
ance, which  is  shown  by  the  leaves 
drooping  and  turning  yellow,  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  eradicate  them. 
Such  plants  should  be  at  once  pulled  up, 
and  with  the  soil  in  which  they  grew, 
burned,  which  will  prevent  their  in- 
crease. Applications  of  soot  or  salt  upon 
the  beds,  of  lime-water,  stale  urine,  and  tobacco  water,  are 
also  employed,  and  beds  strewn  with  fine  charcoal  are  said 
to  be  less  liable  to  attack.  It  is  difficult,  however,  to  reach 
the  insect,  except  by  pulling  up  the  bulb.  It  is  said  that 


Fig.  73. 

removing  the  earth  from  the  onion  bulbs  as  soon  as  growth 
has  well  commenced  will  prevent  the  fly  from  depositing 
its  eggs,  and  the  onion,  being  nourished  by  its  fibrous 
roots,  ripens  and  keeps  better. 

To  preserve  them. — Pull  them  on  a  dry  day,  dry  them 
thoroughly  in  the  shade,  and  stow  them  in  a  loft  where 


204  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

they  can  have  plenty  of  air.  When  thoroughly  dry  they 
can  be  strung  in  ropes,  made  by  braiding  the  tops  togeth- 
er. From  two  to  five  hundred  bushels  per  acre  is  the 
usual  crop. 

For  seed. — Select  the  largest  and  finest  bulbs  and  plant 
out  in  the  fall,  about  twelve  inches  apart,  in  beds  of  com- 
mon garden  soil,  not  too  rich.  Keep  them  free  from  weeds ; 
and  when  they  throw  up  seed  stalks,  support  them  by 
poles  laid  horizontally  on  stakes,  six  or  eight  inches  above 
the  surface  of  the  beds.  Home-grown  seed  from  good 
bulbs  is  as  good  as  the  best  imported.  It  will  keep  three 
years,  but  the  fresh  grown  seeds  are  preferable.  Onion 
buttons  are  grown  in  the  same  manner  upon  the  Top  Onion. 

Use. — Onions  are  among  the  most  useful  products  of  the 
garden.  They  are  used  especially  as  a  flavoring  ingredi- 
ent and  seasoning  for  soups,  meats,  and  sauces ;  for  which 
purpose  they  have  been  employed  from  time  immemorial. 
They  contain  considerable  nutriment,  and  are  tolerably 
wholesome,  especially  if  boiled.  Onions,  like  all  other 
vegetables,  need  to  be  slightly  salted  while  cooking,  or 
their  sweetness  will  be  mostly  lost.  Raw,  they  are  not 
very  digestible,  and  they  are  the  same  if  fried  or  roasted. 
Eating  a  few  leaves  of  parsley  will  destroy  in  a  measure 
the  unpleasant  smell  they  impart  to  the  breath. 


ORACH.— (Atriplex  Hortensis.) 

A  hardy  annual,  of  the  same  natural  family  as  the  beet 
and  Jerusalem  Oak,  (Chenopodiacece)  a  native  of  Tar- 
tary,  and  was  first  cultivated  by  English  gardeners  in  1548. 
The  stem  rises  three  or  four  feet  high,  with  oblong,  various- 
ly-shaped leaves,  cut  at  the  edges,  thick,  pale  green,  and 
glaucous,  and  of  slightly  acid  flavor  ;  flowers  of  same  color 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  265 

as  the'  foliage.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  pale  green, 
and  the  red  or  purple  leaved,  the  latter  of  which  is  just 
now  coming  into  fashion  as  an  ornamental  plant,  on  account 
of  the  fine  color  of  its  foliage. 

Culture. — Orach  flourishes  best  in  a  rich,  moist  soil. 
It  is  raised  from  seed  sown  in  drills,  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  apart.  Sow  very  early  in  spring,  or  in  October, 
which  is  a  good  time  in  mild  climates.  Two  or  three 
sowings  may  be  made  in  spring  for  a  succession.  The 
plants  soon  make  their  appearance;  when  an  inch  high,  thin 
them  to  four  inches  asunder.  Those  removed  may  be  re- 
planted, being  watered  occasionally  until  established. 
Hoe  them  in  a  dry  day,  keeping  the  ground  loose  and  free 
from  weeds.  Once  established,  it  sows  itself. 

Use. — The  leaves  and  tender  stalks  are  cooked  and 
eaten  like  spinach,  to  which  they  are  preferred  by  many. 
They  must  be  gathered  while  young,  or  they  are  worth- 
less. The  seed  should  be  gathered  before  fully  ripe,  as 
they  are  liable  to  be  blown  away  by  wind. 


PARSLEY. — (Petroselinum  sativum.) 

Parsley  is  a  hardy,  biennial,  Umbelliferous  plant  from 
Sardinia.  There  are  two  varieties  used  in  garnishing: 
the  Common  Parsley,  with  plain  leaves,  which  is  the 
hardier  sort,  and  the  Dwarf  Curled,  which  is  much  hand- 
somer and  longer  in  running  to  seed. 

The  Neapolitan  or  Celery-leaved  is  grown  by  the 
French  for  the  leaf-stalks,  which  they  blanch  and  use  like 
celery. 

The  Hamburg  Parsley  (var.  latifolium)  is  cultivated  for 
its  fleshy  roots,  which  are  eaten  like  parsnips. 

Parsley  is  raised  only  from  seed,  which  may  be  sown 
12 


266  GAEDEXING  FOK  THE   SOUTH. 

in  autumn  or  spring,  until  the  weather  and  soil  are  too 
dry  and  hot,  when  it  will  come  up  readily.  It  is  best  to 
sow  it  pretty  early,  as  the  seed  remains  long  in  the  soil 
before  vegetating.  The  beds  must  be  made  annually,  if 
the  plants  are  allowed  to  run  to  seed ;  but  if  the  seed 
stalks  are  cut  down  as  often  as  they  rise,  the  plants  will 
last  many  years.  Many  sow  parsley  as  an  edging  to 
other  beds  or  compartments.  If  in  beds,  it  is  better  to 
sow  in  drills  ten  inches  apart.  Any  good  garden  soil  is 
rich  enough  for  this  plant.  Pulverize  the  bed  by  thorough 
spading,  and  rake  it  level  before  making  the  drills.  Sow 
the  seed  moderately  thick  in  drills  half  an  inch  deep,  and 
press  fine  soil  upon  it.  The  plants  will  not  come  up  in 
less  than  three  or  four,  and  sometimes  six  weeks.  If  sown 
late  give  it  a  shady  border.  Should  the  bed  get  weedy 
before  the  parsley  appears,  pull  the  intruders  out  by  hand. 
As  soon  as  the  rows  can  be  seen,  hoe  between  them,  and 
draw  a  rake  crosswise  to  break  the  crust  which  has  been 
formed,  and  the  plants  will  grow  vigorously.  They  will 
be  fit  for  use  when  two  or  three  inches  high.  When  they 
get  strong,  thin  them  oat  to  three  inches,  and  finally  to 
nine  inches  apart,  being  careful  to  reject  all  plants  from 
the  seed  bed  that  are  not  nicely  curled.  If  they  grow 
too  rank  in  summer,  cut  them  near  the  collar. 

Soot  is  the  very  best  manure  for  parsley,  but  it  should 
be  sparingly  applied.  A  bed  six  feet  long  by  four  feet 
wide  is  large  enough  for  almost  any  family.  It  is  best  to 
appropriate  to  it  such  a  bed,  where  it  will  sow  itself  and 
yield  a  constant  succession  of  new  plants.  The  plants 
should  have  the  stems  cut  down,  if  growing  rank,  three 
or  four  weeks  before  heavy  frosts  are  expected,  that  fresh 
growth  may  be  thrown  up  for  winter  and  early  spring 
use.  It  is  well  to  protect  the  plants  with  a  little  coarse 
litter  in  cold  climates,  but  this  is  not  necessary  south  of 
Virginia. 

Hamburgh  Parsley  is  grown  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  the 


VEGETABLK.1 — DESCRIPTION   AXD   CULTURE.  267 

plants  ten  inches  in  the  drill,  in  a  good  deep  soil,  and  is 
otherwise  managed  like  carrots. 

Neapolitan  Parsley.  The  seeds  are  sown  in  early  spring, 
and  when  the  young  plants  are  four  inches  high,  they  are 
planted  out  in  rows  or  shallow  trenches  two  feet  apart, 
and  the  plants  nine  inches  in  the  row.  They  are  otherwise 
treated  like  celery,  but  need  less  moisture. 

To  save  Seeds. — Allow  some  of  the  finest  curled  plants 
to  throw  up  seed-stalks  ;  let  them  stand  eighteen  inches 
apart ;  when  the  seed  ripens  it  may  be  stored  in  a  dry 
place.  It  will  keep  good  several  years,  and  it  is  singular 
that  seed  four  years  old  will  come  up  more  quickly  than 
that  gathered  six  months  before  sowing. 

Use. — Parsley  is  a  very  agreeable  and  useful  plant, 
affording  a  beautiful  garnish.  It  is  also  used  for  its  aro- 
matic properties  in  seasoning  soups,  stews,  and  meats. 
The  green  leaves  eaten  raw  diminish  the  unpleasant  smell 
of  the  breath  after  eating  leeks  and  onions.  It  can  be 
dried  in  summer,  pounded  fine,  and  put  away  in  bottles  ; 
but  this  is  of  no  use  in  mild  climates,  where  fresh,  green 
parsley  can  be  had  all  winter  from  the  garden. 


PARSNIP.— (Pastinacea  sativa.) 

This  is  a  hardy,  biennial,  Umbelliferous  plant,  of  which 
the  wild  variety  is  found  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  and 
it  is  not  rare  in  this  country  as  a  weed.  It  has  long  been 
cultivated.  In  its  wild  state,  it  is  said  to  have  poisonous 
properties;  but  it  is  rendered  by  cultivation  sweet,  pala- 
table, and  very  nutritious  for  man  and  beast.  The  garden 
parsnips  have  smooth  and  light-green  leaves,  while  those 
of  the  wild  variety  are  dark-green  and  hairy ;  but  the  two 


268  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

do  not  differ  so  much  as  the  wild  and  cultivated  car- 
rot. By  ten  years'  culture,  Prof.  Buckman  hi  England 
succeeded  in  producing  the  garden  variety  from  the  wild 
sort.  This  plant  is  of  the  hardiest  nature,  being  improved 
by  remaining  in  the  ground  exposed  to  frost  during  the 
winter.  The  best  variety  for  the  garden  is  the  Hollow- 
crown  or  Sugar  Parsnip.  Its  roots  are  smoother,  more 
handsome,  and  better  flavored  than  the  other  varieties. 
It  is  distinguished  by  the  cavity  which  crowns  the  root. 

Parsnips  like  a  rich,  sandy  loam,  the  more  deeply  dug 
the  better.  They  do  exceedingly  well  on  rich  bottom 
lands,  but  do  not  succeed  well  in  stiff  clays.  The  manure 
should  be  applied  to  a  previous  crop. 

Parsnip  seed  can  be  sown  any  time  in  spring  before  the 
hot,  dry  weather  comes  on,  which  will  prevent  it  from 
vegetating  freely.  Scatter  the  seed  thinly  in  drills  fifteen 
inches  apart,  and  when  the  plants  appear,  thin  them  to 
ten  or  twelve  inches  asunder.  The  culture  in  other 
respects  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  beet.  The  roots  in  cold 
climates  are  taken  up  and  stored,  if  required  for  use  in 
frosty  weather,  but  the  flavor  is  improved  by  exposure  to 
the  winter  frosts,  and  they  are  commonly  left  where  grown 
until  spring,  when  if  taken  up  before  growth  commences 
they  will  keep  some  weeks. 

For  Seed. — A  few  of  the  best  roots  may  be  taken  up 
and  set  out  two  feet  apart  in  a  border ;  but  they  do  better 
to  remain  undisturbed.  The  seeds  cannot  be  depend^, 
on  for  more  than  one  year. 

Use. — The  parsnip  is  a  very  wholesome  and  nourishing 
root,  though  its  peculiar  sweetish  taste  is  disliked  by  many 
persons.  It  is,  however,  an  agreeable  addition  to  our  sup- 
ply of  winter  vegetables.  Its  fattening  properties  are 
great,  and  it  is  therefore  an  excellent  root  for  feeding  all 
kinds  of  farm  stock.  Cows  fed  upon  it  will  yi£ld  milk 
abundantly,  and  butter  of  the  best  quality. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  269 

PEA. — (Lathyrus  Pisum.) 

This  is  a  hardy  Leguminous  annual,  probably  from  the 
Levant,  where  the  gray  field  variety  is  found  wild,  but  it 
has  been  cultivated  from  time  immemorial.  It  is  a  climb- 
ing plant,  producing  its  seeds  in  pods,  which  usually  grow 
in  pairs.  The  pea  is  now  one  of  the  most  desirable  culi- 
nary plants.  Numerous  varieties  have  been  originated, 
differing  in  the  color  of  the  blossoms,  height,  time  of  ripen- 
ing, and  also  in  productiveness.  Among  the  best  are : 

Prince  Albert,  or  Early  Kent. — Grows  about  2£  or  3 
feet  high.  A  small,  white,  very  early  pea,  bearing  moder- 
ately well ;  pods  containing  from  eight  to  ten  peas  in 
each.  The  true  sort  is  the  earliest  variety  grown. 

Extra  Early. — This  celebrated  early  pea  comes  into 
use  about  five  days  after  the  preceding,  and  with  the 
Cedo-Nulli.  The  whole  crop  ripens  at  once.  It  is  toler- 
ably productive ;  2J  feet  high. 

Daniel  O'Rourke,  as  I  have  received  it,  is  very  simi- 
lar to  this.  Sangster's  No.  I  is  said  to  be  the  same  as 
Daniel  O'Rourke. 

Cedo-IVulli  comes  into  use  with  the  preceding,  and  is  a 
much  finer  pea.  It  has  a  longer  pod,  which  is  better  filled. 
The  vines  are  taller,  and  it  bears  about  twice  as  many 
pods  to  the  stalks  as  the  Extra  Early  ;  the  most  prolific 
of  early  peas,  and  continues  long  in  bearing ;  3  feet  high. 

EaiTy  Emperor ;  said  to  be  as  early  as  Prince  Albert ; 
the  pods  and  peas  somewhat  larger,  and  a  more  produc- 
tive sort. 

Early  Frame,  known  also  as  Early  May,  Early  War- 
wick, Michaux  de  Hollande,  etc.,  grows  about  4  feet  high, 
with  small,  round  pods,  containing  some  five  or  six  peas 
of  fine  quality,  which  when  dry  are  small,  very  round 
and  white.  This  is  the  parent  of  the  preceding  sorts,  not 
quite  so  early,  but  more  productive,  and  one  of  the  two 


270  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

hardiest  for  planting  in  late   autumn,  to  grow  through 
the  winter,  in  mild  climates. 

Early  Charlton. — Also  called  Early  Hotspur,  Michaux 
Ordinaire,  is  of  more  vigorous  growth,  and  larger  foliage  ; 
5  ft.  high,  with  broad,  flat  pods,  containing  six  or  seven 
peas  of  excellent  quality  and  larger  size  than  the  Early 
Frame;  just  as  hardy  and  fit  for  use  a  few  days  later. 

Early  Tom  Thumb  is  the  most  dwarf  sort  known,  being 
only  ten  or  twelve  inches  high,  and  of  good  flavor ;  it  re- 
quires no  sticks. 

Bishop's  New  Long-Pod  is  also  a  very  productive 
dwarf  sort,  of  excellent  quality  ;  grows  1-J-  to  2  feet,  with 
straight,  cylindric  pods,  containing  six  or  seven  large  peas. 

The  foregoing  are  for  the  early  crop ;  for  the  middle 
season : 

Fairbank's  Champion.— This  is  the  very  best  large 
pea  ;  a  wrinkled  marrow,  of  the  highest  excellence  ;  grows 
about  4  feet  high,  and  bears  very  well.  Pods  long,  some- 
what curved,  slightly  flattened,  and  containing  seven  or 
eight  large,  sugary  peas,  which  when  dry  are  somewhat 
shrivelled  and  of  a  bluish  cast. 

Dwarf  Blue  Imperial. — About  3  feet  high;  pods  long, 
curved  at  the  extremity,  and  containing  eight  or  nine 
good  peas,  of  a  bluish  cast. 

Victoria  is  an  early,  fine  flavored,  white,  wrinkled  mar- 
row, about  3  feet  high,  and  productive  of  fine  large  pods. 

Napoleon  is  a  fine  blue,  wrinkled  marrow  ;  the  earliest 
of  this  class,  and  quite  productive. 
The  most  desirable  late  sorts  are  : 

Large  White  Marrowfat,  growing  4  or  5  feet  high, 
with  broad  pods,  containing  about  eight  large  peas  of 
excellent  quality ;  round  and  white  when  dry.  The  Tall 
White  Marrowfat  grows  over  six  feet  high. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AXD    CULTUEE.  271 

Black-eyed  Marrowfat  seems  to  bear  the  summer  heat 
better  than  most  kinds,  and  is  of  good  flavor. 

Hair's  Dwarf  Mammoth  grows  2  feet  high,  with  a  large, 
wrinkled  seed,  of  a  bluish  green  color,  and  the  highest 
flavor.  Like  Bishop's  Long-pod,  and  Allen's  Dwarf,  the 
peas  should  be  planted  from  four  to  six  inches  apart  in 
the  row,  as  they  branch  much.  An  improvement  on 
Knight's  Dwarf  Marrow. 

Knight's  Tall  Marrow,— This  sort  grows  6  or  7  feet 
high,  with  large,  dark  glaucous  green  leaves,  large,  broad, 
well-filled  pods;  seed  large,  thin  skinned,  tender,  and 
sugary,  wrinkled,  and  of  a  bluish  cast ;  productive.  The 
rows  should  be  six  feet  apart. 

The  Sugar  Peas  are  without  the  tough  interior  lining 
to  the  pod  when  young,  and  they  will  snap  in  two  as  readily 
as  the  pod  of  the  kidney  bean,  like  which  they  are  prepared 
for  the  table.  There  are  two  sorts :  the  Dwarf  Sugar 
about  3  feet  high,  with  small  crooked  pods;  and  the 
Large  Crooked  Sugar,  with  large,  broad,  fiat,  crooked 
pods.  The  stems  grow  about  6  feet  high. 

As  some  families  prefer  white,  others  blue,  some  dwarf, 
and  others  tall  sorts,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  make  a 
selection  from  the  foregoing  list.  There  are  some  fifty 
sorts  in  the  catalogues,  but  many  of  them  are  synonyms. 

Potash  and  phosphoric  acid  are  large  constituents  of  the 
ash  of  the  pea.  Ashes  and  bone-dust,  or  superphosphate 
of  lime,  especially  the  former,  are  likely  to  be  the  special 
manures  most  needed. 

Culture. — A  moderately  rich  and  dry  calcareous  loam 
is  best  suited  for  the  early  pea  and  the  dwarf  varieties. 
The  late  peas  and  the  lofty  growers  do  better  in  heavier 
soil,  and  a  cool,  moist  situation.  The  manure  should  be 
applied  early  the  preceding  autumn,  to  be  well  reduced  by 
the  time  the  crop  of  peas  is  ready  to  feed  upon  it.  In 
poor  ground,  fresh  stable  manure  is  better  than  none. 


272  GARDENING   FOE  THE   SOUTH. 

If  the  ground,  however,  be  extremely  rich,  there  will  be 
more  vines  than  fruit.  The  soil  must  be  deep,  so  that  the 
roots  may  penetrate  deeply  to  obtain  moisture  in  time  of 
drought,  that  the  vines  may  not  mildew.  If  the  vines 
mildew  or  get  too  dry  after  they  begin  to  blossom,  the 
pods  will  not  fill  well.  On  this  account  it  is  found  to  be 
of  advantage  to  plant  in  a  furrow  some  six  inches  deep, 
as  they  continue  much  longer  in  bearing  than  when  plant- 
ed shallow. 

The  early  crop  may  be  planted  as  soon  as  the  ground 
will  do  to  work  in  the  spring.  And  in  the  Cotton  States, 
where  the  winters  are  mild,  Early  Frame  and  Charlton 
Peas  may  be  planted  from  the  last  of  November  until 
March;  Prince  Albert,  etc.,  in  February;  and  the  later 
kinds  until  early  in  April,  and  for  a  fall  crop  in  August 
to  come  into  use  in  October. 

Near  New  York  City  they  are  planted  from  as  early  in 
March  as  the  ground  opens,  until  late  in  May.  The  dis- 
tance of  the  rows  apart  will  depend  upon  the  variety. 
They  should  not  be  nearer  to  each  other  than  the  height 
to  which  the  sort  planted  generally  attains.  Tom  Thumb 
may  be  planted  only  fifteen  inches  apart  from  row  to  row, 
but  as  it  is  a  branching  sort,  the  plants  may  be  five  or  six 
inches  in  the  row.  It  is  usual  to  plant  in  double  rows, 
from  nine  to  twelve  inches  asunder,  leaving  the  distance 
above  directed  between  each  pair  of  rows.  The  sticks 
are  set  midway  between  the  double  rows,  supporting 
the  vines  of  both.  It  is  maintained  by  many  that  from 
its  more  full  exposure  to  the  air  and  sun  a  single  row  will 
produce  as  much  as  two.  The  tall  later  sorts  are  far  more 
fruitful  if  the  rows  are  put  twenty  or  thirty  feet  apart, 
and  the  space  between  occupied  with  other  crops. 

It  is  best  to  plant  the  early  crop  in  rows  running  east 
and  west,  that  the  sun  may  warm  the  ridge  of  soil  drawn 
up  to  the  roots ;  but  the  rows  of  the  main  crop  should  run 
north  and  south.  Early  peas  should  be  planted  in  the 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUBE.  273 

drills,  about  an  inch  apart ;  the  medium  growers  an  inch 
and  a  half;  while  for  the  tall  kinds,  as  Knight's  Tall  Mar- 
row, and  the  Mammoth,  two  inches  are  not  too  much.  A 
quart  of  seed  of  these  varieties  will  plant  not  quite  fifty 
yards  of  double  rows,  while  a  quart  of  early  peas  will 
plant  nearly  seventy  yards  twice  as  thickly.  The  soil 
with  which  they  are  covered  should  be  chopped  fine,  if 
lumpy,  and  in  planting  pressed  upon  the  seed.  Better 
delay  a  little  than  plant  when  the  ground  is  wet.  After 
the  peas  are  about  two  inches  high,  hoe  them  well,  draw- 
ing the  earth  a  little  toward  them,  and  loosening  the  soil 
between  the  drills,  destroying  every  weed.  Repeat  this 
once  or  twice,  before  brushing,  which  should  be  done 
when  the  plants  are  six  or  eight  inches  high,  or  as  soon  as 
the  tendrils  appear.  This  may  be  done  by  sharpened 
branches  of  trees  prepared  fan-shaped,  and  of  a  height 
proper  for  the  pea  to  which  they  are  to  be  applied,  or 
stakes  may  be  driven  down  every  six  feet  each  side  of  the 
drills,  and  lines  of  twine  stretched  from  one  to  the  other. 
Pea  brush  is,  however,  the  best,  as  the  vines  lay  hold  of  it 
more  readily.  It  should  be  placed  firmly  in  the  ground, 
between  the  drills.  After  brushing,  draw  up  the  earth  on 
each  side,  to  help  support  the  vine.  Market  gardeners  do 
not  employ  brush  or  twine,  but  let  them  fall  over  and 
bear  what  they  will.  This  does  tolerably  well  with  the 
early  varieties,  if  the  spaces  between  the  rows  be  filled 
with  straw  or  leaves. 

Peas  are  forced  by  planting  under  glass  in  pots,  to  be 
transplanted,  when  the  season  permits ;  but  in  mild  lati- 
tudes this  is  needless,  as  the  pea  when  young  will  survive 
a  temperature  but  two  degrees  above  zero  if  not  in  a  state 
of  rapid  growth.  If  a  hard  frost  occur  when  the  plants 
are  in  bloom  the  crop  is  lost. 

Seed. — The  plants  of  the  rows  intended  for  seed  should 
not  be  gathered  from  for  any  other  purpose.  When  the 
pods  begin  to  dry,  gather  and  dry  them  thoroughly,  and 
12* 


274  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

store  the  seed  in  bottles,  pouring  into  each  a  little  spirits 
of  turpentine,  as  directed  for  preserving  beans.  The  bean 
and  pea  bugs  belong  to  the  genus  JRritchus  of  Linnaeus, 
a  family  devouring  the  seed  of  many  Leguminous  plants, 
and  the  eggs  of  both  species  are  deposited  by  the  parent 
beetle  in  the  soft  pods,  and  directly  over  the  seed.  The 
maggots  work  their  way  into  the  seed,  where  they  obtain 
their  perfect  form.  The  pea  bug  does  not  usually  destroy 
the  germ,  but  its  congener,  the  species  that  infests  the 
bean,  is  much  more  destructive,  several  often  inhabiting 
a  single  bean,  and  leaving  nothing  but  the  outer  skin  and 
a  mass  of  yellow  dust.  Spirits  of  turpentine  appears  to  be 
fatal  to  them. 

Some  think  that  peas  are  earlier  if  the  seed  has  been  ob- 
tained from  a  more  northern  locality  than  the  one  in 
which  they  are  planted.  The  garden  pea  is  very  whole- 
some, and  an  Almost  universal  favorite.  To  have  them  in 
perfection,  they  should  be  freshly  gathered,  and  by  no 
means  allowed  to  stand  over  night  before  use.  They  can 
be  shelled  and  dried  in  the  shade,  and  form  a  tolerably 
agreeable  dish  in  winter,  but  they  are  much  inferior  to 
those  freshly  picked.  Green  or  dry  they  are  very  nutri- 
tious, abounding  in  flesh-forming  constituents. 


PEPPER.— (Capsicum.) 

This  genus  (Capsicum)  of  plants  belongs  to  the 
Solamim  family,  and  several  species  are  in  cultivation, 
all  of  which  are  natives  of  tropical  regions.  Some  of 
them  have  been  cultivated  in  England  300  years,  O.  an- 
num, or  Guinea  Pepper,  having  been  introduced  there  in 
1548.  Those  most  in  use  are : 

Bell  Pepper, — This  was  brought  from  India  in 
1759 ;  of  low  growth,  with  large,  red,  bell-shaped  fruit. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  275 

Its  thick  and  pulpy  skin  renders  it  best  for  pickles ;  more 
mild  than  most  varieties.     It  is  a  biennial. 

Cayenne,  or  Long  Pepper,— Is  a  perennial,  with  small, 
round,  bright  red,  tapering  fruit,  extremely  pungent.  Of 
this  there  is  a  large  and  small  fruited  sort,  both  excellent 
for  pepper  sauce,  and  to  grind  as  a  condiment. 

Large  Sweet  Spanish  is  a  large,  mild  variety  of  an- 
nual pepper,  much  used  in  pickling. 

Tomato  Pepper  is  of  two  sorts,  red  and  yellow,  both 
tolerably  mild ;  fruit  tomato  shaped. 

Culture. — Capsicum  likes  a  rich,  moist  loarn,  rather  light 
than  otherwise.  Guano  and  fowl  manure  are  excellent 
fertilizers  for  peppers. 

For  early  plants,  sow  the  seed  in  drills,  one  inch  deep 
and  six  inches  apart,  under  glass,  in  February,  at  the 
South,  or  in  March  and  April  in  the  Northern  States,  and 
transplant  after  the  frosts  are  entirely  over,  when  three 
or  four  inches  high,  into  good  soil,  in  rows  eighteen  inches 
apart  each  way.  Sow  at  the  South,  also,  in  the  open  ground, 
as  soon  as  the  settled  warm  weather  comes  on,  say  the 
last  of  March  or  first  of  April,  and  thin  them  out  to  the 
proper  distance.  An  ounce  of  seed  will  give  two  or  three 
thousand  plants.  They  should  be  transplanted  in  moist 
weather  only,  and  must  be  watered  until  well  established. 
Shading  a  few  days  at  midday,  after  transplanting,  is  very 
beneficial.  Cultivate  and  earth  up  their  stems  a  little. 

Seed.  —  A  plant  bearing  the  earliest  and  finest  fruit 
should  be  selected.  The  varieties  should  be  grown  as  far 
apart  as  possible.  When  ripe,  the  pods  are  hung  up  to 
dry,  and  kept  until  the  seed  is  wanted  for  sowing. 

Use. — These  plants  are  very  much  used  in  all  hot 
climates,  where  they  enter  as  a  seasoning  into  almost 
every  dish.  The  large  kinds  for  pickling  should  be  gathered 
when  full  grown,  and  just  before  turning  red.  They  are 


276  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

also  dried  when  ripe,  and  used  for  seasoning.  Cayenne 
and  the  other  small  kinds  are  ground  for  table  use,  or  made 
into  pepper  sauce  by  the  addition  of  strong  vinegar. 
Peppers  are  often  rubbed  upon  meat  to  drive  away  insects. 
The  daily  use  of  this  plant  in  hot  climates  is  decidedly  a 
preventive  of  bowel  complaints,  for  which  reason  it  is  so 
universally  cultivated  in  tropical  regions. 


POTATO  (IRISH.)— (Solanum  tuberosum.) 

The  Irish  potato  is  a  perennial  plant,  with  a  tuberous, 
subterranean  stem,  of  the  same  genus  with  the  egg- 
plant, and  nearly  allied  to  the  tomato.  It  is  reported  to 
have  been  brought  into  England  from  Virginia  by 
Raleigh,  in  1586,  but  as  he  never  visited  Virginia,  he  prob- 
ably obtained  it  from  some  other  portion  of  this  conti- 
nent. Though  called  the  Irish  potato,  it  is  really  a  native 
of  the  western  coast  of  South  America,  where  it  is  still 
found  wild,  both  "  on  dry,  sterile  mountains,  and  in  damp 
forests  near  the  sea,"  whence  roots  have  recently  been  ob- 
tained differing  very  little  from  the  cultivated  varieties. 
Notwithstanding  its  excellence  and  complete  adaptation 
to  the  English  climate,  it  appears  to  have  come  slowly  in- 
to use.  Raleigh  planted  it  on  his  Irish  estate  near  Cork, 
but  it  is  only  within  about  a  hundred  years  that  its  culture 
has  been  general,  even  in  Ireland.  In  1780,  very  few  indi- 
viduals in  America  raised  as  large  a  crop  as  five  bushels. 
Of  the  numerous  varieties  at  this  time,  the  best,  perhaps, 
for  garden  culture  we  name  below.  Varieties,  however, 
run  out  after  a  few  years'  culture,  and  those  newly  raised 
from  seed  take  their  place,  and  there  are  many  the  popu- 
larity of  which  is  local. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  277 

Fox  Seedling. — A  medium-sized,  round,  white  potato, 
of  fine  flavor  when  it  first  matures,  but  does  not  keep  for 
winter. 

Ash-Leaved  Kidney. — Kidney-shaped,  thin-skinned,  of 
good  form,  with  few  eyes.  In  planting,  cut  it  lengthwise 
through  the  centre ;  very  early. 

Mercer. — Long,  kidney-shaped,  flattish,  full  of  eyes, 
and  often  knobbed,  spotted  with  pink  at  the  small  ends. 
It  is  early  and  productive. 

Prince  Albert. — Oblong,  a  little  flattened,  yellowish, 
white  eyes,  few,  and  scarcely  sunk  in  the  smooth  skin ; 
ripens  with  the  Mercer.  Several  varieties  have  been  directly 
imported  from  South  America,  and  others  originated  from 
these,  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Goodrich,  of  Utica,  N.  Y.  We 
cultivated  several  of  his  kinds  for  some  years,  and  were 
pleased  with  their  quality  and  freedom  from  rot.  Among 
them  were  the  Black  Diamond,  Garnet  Chili,  Pale  Blush 
Pink  Eye,  New  Hartford,  and  Rough  Purple  Chili. 
They  are  more  hardy  than  the  old  sorts,  but  none  are 
entirely  free  from  rot.  [The  Early  Goodrich,  one  of  Mr. 
G's.  seedlings,  and  the  Sebec,  are  among  the  most  prized 
early  varieties  at  the  North,  and  the  Early  Rose,  a  des- 
cendant of  the  Garnet  Chili,  is  of  excellent  quality,  and  the 
earliest  yet  known. — Ed^\  At  the  South  a  potato  is  re- 
quired that  will  continue  growing  through  the  long  sum- 
mer. The  common  sorts  ripen  early,  and  commence  new 
growth,  so  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  keep  them  in  their 
dry,  mealy  state.  Starting  the  buds  has  the  same  effect 
upon  these  tubers  as  upon  the  grains  of  wheat  which  lose 
their  starch  by  conversion  into  sugar  and  dextrine,  mak- 
ng  both  the  flour  and  tuber,  when  cooked,  far  less  pala- 
table and  nourishing. 

Potash  and  phosphate  of  magnesia  are  indicated  by  anal- 
ysis to  be  the  most  important  inorganic  elements  of  the 
plant.  Wood  ashes  will  furnish  most  of  the  constituents 
required  from  the  soil. 


278  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

Culture. — The  Irish  potato  likes  a  cool,  moist  climate 
and  soil  like  those  of  Ireland.  The  soil  should  be  well  en- 
riched with  vegetable  and  not  with  animal  manure.  The 
best  potatoes  in  this  country  are  grown  in  the  cool  and 
hilly  sections  of  the  North,  and  the  best  there  are  grown 
by  simply  turning  over  a  meadow  sward ;  upon  this  the 
rows  are  laid  off  shallow,  and  the  clover  sods  are  often  so 
tough  with  matted  roots  when  planting  (having  been 
newly  turned  over),  that  earth  is.  with  difficulty  obtained 
to  cover  the  potatoes.  Soon  decomposition  commences, 
a  gentle  heat  is  given  out,  and  by  the  time  the  potatoes 
are  ready  for  the  first  working  they  can  be  plowed  with 
ease.  At  the  second  working,  when  the  plants  are  laid 
by,  the  soil  is  mellow  as  an  ash  heap,  the  young  plant  the 
meanwhile  being  supplied  with  moisture  and  the  very 
food  required  to  perfect  its  tubers  and  render  them  fari- 
naceous and  nutritive.  In  our  gardens  we  cannot  obtain 
such  a  soil,  but  we  can  very  much  improve  the  yield,  and 
especially  the  quality  of  our  Irish  potatoes  by  imitating 
it  as  nearly  as  possible.  We  can  dig  into  the  soil  vegetable 
matter  to  decompose,  such  as  leaves,  garden  refuse  of  all 
kinds,  and  pine  straw.  Even  tan  bark  is  not  a  bad  appli- 
cation to  the  potato  crop,  but  if  used  must  be  accompanied 
with  plenty  of  ashes  or  lime  to  correct  its  acidity.  One 
reason  for  the  application  of  vegetable  manure  to  this 
plant  is  the  superior  quality  of  the  tubers  produced. 
Liebig  first  remarked  that  ammoniacal  manures  injure  the 
quality  of  the  potato,  though  they  increase  the  size  and 
quantity.  If  manured  with  strong  animal  manure  the 
tubers  are  moist  and  waxy,  while  if  grown  upon  a  soil  ma- 
nured with  ashes,  lime,  and  an  abundant  supply  of  carbo- 
naceous manures,  such  as  decaying  vegetable  matter,  the 
produce  is  far  more  starchy  and  nutritive.  Potatoes  en- 
riched with  strong  dung  are  far  more  liable  to  rot  than 
if  manured  with  leaves,  ashes,  and  lime. 

The  rows  should  be  from  two  to  two  and  a  half  feet 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  279 

asunder,  and  the  sets  from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  the 
row,  the  greater  distances  for  the  tall-growing  sorts. 
Experiments  in  England  have  proved  that  there  the  best 
crops  are  secured  when  the  sets  are  planted  six  inches 
deep,  or  in  light  sandy  soil  not  less  than  seven  inches. 
The  sets  should  be  cut  a  week  before  planting,  and  allowed 
to  dry.  A  medium-sized  tuber  will  make  five  or  six  sets. 
After  the  ground  has  been  well  prepared  by  plowing 
or  spading,  dig  a  trench  eight  inches  deep,  the  width  of 
the  spade,  and  in  the  bottom  of  this  form  a  slight  furrow 
with  a  hoe,  that  the  sets  may  be  in  a  line.  In  this  furrow 
the  sets  are  placed  (for  Mercers  eight  inches  apart).  Cover 
with  a  good  coat  of  manure  of  the  kinds  before  directed, 
to  which  manipulated  guano,  or  superphosphate  of  lime 
and  gypsum,  may  be  added  with  advantage.  The  earth  is 
hauled  over  them,  leaving  the  surface  some  two  or  three 
inches  below  the  general  level,  that  the  plants  may  receive 
and  retain  near  them  all  the  rain  that  falls.  After  the 
plants  come  up,  hoe  them  well,  but  do  not  disturb  the 
ground  if  there  is  any  apprehension  of  even  a  slight  frost. 
When  all  danger  of  frost  is  over,  they  should,  if  possible, 
receive  a  good  mulching  of  leaves  directly  after  a  good 
heavy  rain,  and  some  trash  may  be  laid  over  to  keep  the 
leaves  in  place.  The  leaves  must  not  be  put  on  too  early, 
as  if  applied  before  the  frosts  are  entirely  over  the  evap- 
oration from  a  bed  of  damp  leaves  so  lowers  the  tempera- 
ture at  their  surface  that  a  frost  scarcely  perceptible  else- 
where may  prove  fatal  to  tender  plants  thus  mulched. 

If  the  leaves  are  not  to  be  obtained,  keep  the  soil  free 
from  weeds  by  flat  culture,  until  the  tops  cover  the 
ground.  The  early  crop  may  alternate  with  Lima  beans, 
making  the  rows  five  feet  apart  in  this  case,  and  they  will 
be  ready  for  digging  when  the  beans  are  fit  for  use  which 
are  planted  in  hills  between  the  potato  rows.  This  crop 
should  be  planted  as  early  in  the  spring  as  possible.  At 
the  South,  in  January  or  February,  and  at  the  North  in 


280  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

March  or  April.  The  main  crop  may  be  put  in  three  or  four 
weeks  later,  but  if  they  escape  spring  frosts  the  early 
planted  crops  are  best.  In  colder  climates  the  sets  are 
often  kept  in  a  warm  room  covered  with  damp  moss  until 
they  have  grown  a  half  inch,  and  then  if  planted  out  with- 
out being  dried,  in  a  warm  situation,  are  considerably 
earlier.  A  teaspoonful  of  gypsum  dusted  over  the  plants 
when  they  appear  above  ground  is  very  beneficial.  Never 
work  the  crop  after  the  blossom  buds  appear. 

When  the  tops  begin  to  die,  dig  the  crop,  and  store  in  a 
cool,  dry  place.  Sprinkle  them  with  lime  when  dug,  and 
they  are  less  in  danger  of  rot.  This  disease  often  attacks 
them  while  growing,  beginning  at  the  haulm,  and  descend- 
ing to  the  tubers,  which  soon  become  a  mass  of  rottenness. 
It  is  caused  by  the  fungus,  JSotrytis  infestans,  but  is 
thought  to  be  gradually  disappearing.  If  potatoes  are 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  ground  until  they  begin  to  grow, 
they  become  waxy  and  worthless,  and  those  that  are 
stored  will  not  remain  eatable,  unless  the  sprouts  are 
rubbed  oif  as  they  appear. 

Use. — The  tubers  of  the  Irish  potato,  consisting  chiefly 
of  starch,  and  having  no  peculiarity  of  taste,  approach 
nearer  in  their  nature  to  the  flour  of  grain  than  any  other 
root.  Hence  the  potato  is  almost  universally  liked,  and 
can  be  continually  used  by  the  same  individual  without 
becoming  unpalatable.  It  is  a  good  supporter  of  respira- 
tion, and  adapted  for  the  formation  of  fat,  but  is  deficient 
in  nitrogenous  or  muscle-forming  elements.  Sustained 
labor  cannot  be  performed  on  this  diet  without  the  ad- 
dition of  other  food  better  adapted  to  the  formation  of 
flesh.  Potatoes  are  boiled,  baked,  roasted,  or  fried.  When 
long  kept,  the  best  ones  are  selected,  boiled,  and  mashed, 
before  going  to  the  table.  Starch  can  be  manufactured 
from  potatoes,  as  may  ardent  spirits. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND  CULTURE.  281 


POTATO,  SWEET.— (Convolvulus  Batatas.) 

This  valuable  plant,  first  cultivated  in  England  in  1597, 
by  Gerard,  is  the  potato  mentioned  by  Shakespeare  and 
his  cotemporaries,  the  Irish  potato  being  then  scarcely 
known,  "  Let  the  sky  rain  potatoes,"  says  Falstaff,  allud- 
ing to  this  vegetable,  which  was  at  that  time  imported 
into  England  from  Spain  and  the  Canary  Islands,  and 
considered  a  great  delicacy.  The  sweet  potato  is  a  tender 
perennial  plant,  of  the  Morning  Glory  family,  a  native  of 
China  and  both  Indies.  It  has  small  leaves,  with  three  to 
five  lobes,  according  to  the  variety,  with  herbaceous 
vines  which  run  along  the  ground,  taking  root  at  inter- 
vals. Its  roots  are  long,  spindle-shaped  or  oval,  often 
very  large,  and  abounding  in  starch  and  sugar.  Its  nutri- 
tious properties  and  agreeable  flavor  have  brought  it  into 
general  use  in  all  parts  of  the  globe,  where  the  climate  is 
warm  enough  to  admit  of  its  successful  cultivation.  The 
following  are  the  most  common  varieties,  and  perhaps  as 
good  as  any. 

Small  Spanish. — Long,  grows  in  clusters,  purplish 
color,  very  productive,  and  of  excellent  quality,  but  if  not 
well  grown,  is  fibrous ;  flesh  white. 

Nansemond  is  a  larger  variety,  and  good  at  every  stage 
of  growth ;  the  best  for  the  North. 

Brimstone. — Sulphur-colored,  long,  of  large  size,  and 
productive ;  keeps  well  with  us,  and  is  one  of  the  best 
sorts ;  very  dry,  and  excellent. 

Red  Bermuda  is  of  the  Yam  family ;  leaves,  many- 
lobed ;  the  best  early  potato ;  productive. 

Common  Yam,  —  Leaves  many-lobed ;  root  yellow, 
large,  oblong,  and  somewhat  globular;  the  best  long- 
keeper,  and  very  productive.  Has  something  of  the  pump- 
kin flavor. 


282  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

Hayti  Yanh — Larger  in  size,  white  flesh,  not  so  sweet, 
but  more  farinaceous.  Keeps  equal  to  the  last,  and  is  dry 
and  floury.;  the  most  prolific  of  all. 

Culture. — Sweet  potatoes  like  a  rich,  sandy  loam,  per- 
fectly friable,  and,  as  indicated  by  analysis,  abounding  in 
potash.  The  soil  should  be  well  enriched.  A  dressing 
of  wood  ashes  would  be  very  beneficial  to  this  crop. 
Next  to  potash  it  demands  a  supply  of  the  phosphates. 
They  do  well  on  fresh  lands,  if  well  broken  up  and  friable. 
At  the  South,  the  Spanish  potatoes  are  generally  planted 
where  they  are  to  remain,  like  the  Irish  potato,  whole  or 
cut  up  into  sets.  But  both  these  may,  and  the  yams  must, 
be  propagated  by  slips,  as  they  grow  larger  and  yield 
more  abundantly. 

To  raise  slips,  select  a  sunny  spot  sheltered  by  fences 
or  buildings,  and  lay  it  off  in  beds  four  feet  wide,  with 
alleys  of  the  same  wddth  between  them ;  slope  the  beds  a 
little  towards  the  sun,  dig  them  well,  and  add  plenty  of 
well-decomposed  manure,  if  not  already  rich.  Do  this  in 
Georgia  in  February,  or  early  in  March.  At  the  North,  a 
gentle  hot-bed  will  be  required,  and  it  will  be  found  Very 
useful  in  every  locality,  in  order  that  the  slips  may  be 
ready  as  soon  as  all  danger  of  frost  is  over. 

Choose  smooth  and  healthy-looking  potatoes,  and  lay 
them  regularly  over  the  bed  an  inch  or  two  apart,  and 
cover  them  about  three  or  four  inches  with  fine  soil;  rake 
the  bed  smooth,  and  it  is  done.  In  large  operations,  ten 
bushels  of  potatoes  should  be  bedded  for  every  acre  of 
ground. 

While  the  slips  are  sprouting,  prepare  the  ground  to 
receive  them.  It  should  be  rich,  or  made  so  with  well- 
rotted  manure,  and  thoroughly  and  deeply  broken  up  with 
the  plow  or  Spade.  Lay  it  off  just  before  the  slips  are 
ready,  in  low,  parallel  ridges  or  beds,  the  crowns  of 
which  are  three  and  a  half  feet  asunder,  and  about  six 
inches  high,  on  which  plant  out  the  slips  with  a  dibble 


YEGETABLES — DESCBIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  283 

eighteen  inches  apart,  one  plant  in  a  place.  Choose  for 
this  operation  such  a  day  as  you  would  for  cabbage 
plants,  or  do  it  in  the  evening.  The  sweet  potato  is 
readily  transplanted,  and  if  holes  are  dug  in  the  mellow 
bed,  deep  enough  to  admit  the  plant,  and  the  slips,  set 
upright  therein,  have  the  earth  washed  in  about  their 
roots  by  pouring  water  upon  them  from  the  open  spout 
of  a  water-pot,  finishing  the  operation  by  covering  over 
with  a  coat  of  dry,  mellow  earth,  brought  up  and  pressed 
pretty  closely  about  the  slips  to  keep  the  moistened  earth 
from  baking,  very  few  will  die,  even  if  they  are  set  out  at 
mid-day ;  but  as  the  plants  would  be  checked,  a  cloudy 
day,  or  just  at  night,  should  be  selected  for  the  operation. 

This  is  an  excellent  mode  of  transplanting  all  plants, 
and  is  of  great  use  both  in  the  vegetable  and  flower-gar- 
den. If  the  slips  are  not  washed  in  as  above  when  taken 
up  in  dry  weather,  it  is  of  great  advantage  to  grout  them, 
as  well  as  all  other  plants  you  wish  to  transplant.  This  is 
done  by  immersing  the  roots  in  water  thickened  with  rich 
earth.  It  refreshes  the  slips,  and  gives  them  a  thin  coat- 
ing of  earth  as  a  protection  against  the  atmosphere. 
Draw  the  slips  when  about  three  or  four  inches  high,  by 
placing  the  left  hand  on  the  bed  near  the  sprout  to  steady 
the  root,  and  prevent  its  being  pulled  up  with  the  sprout, 
which  is  loosened  with  the  right  hand,  taking  care  not  to 
disturb  the  fibrous  roots  of  the  mother  potato,  for  this 
continues  to  afford  a  succession  of  slips,  which  may  be 
successfully  transplanted  in  Georgia  until  the  first  of  July. 
At  the  North,  they  should  not  be  put  in  later  than  the  first 
of  June. 

After  the  piece  is  planted,  go  over  it  again  in  a  few  days 
to  plant  over  any  place  where  the  slips  may  have  failed. 
As  soon  as  the  ground  gets  a  little  weedy,  scrape  it  over, 
loosening  the  earth  and  covering  up  the  weeds,  but  be 
careful  not  to  injure  the  young  slips.  Faithful  cultivation 
and  frequent  moving  the  soil  are  as  beneficial  to  this  crop, 


284          GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

while  young,  as  to  any  other.  At  one  of  the  hoeings  just 
before  being  laid  by,  the  ground  should  be  deeply  moved 
with  the  plow  or  spade,  but  not  close  to  the  plants.  They 
should  be  laid  by  before  the  plants  run  a  great  deal,  after 
which  they  should  be  undisturbed.  Be  careful  not  to 
cover  the  vines,  but  if  they  become  attached  to  the  soil, 
loosen  them  up  from  it,  so  that  the  vigor  of  the  plants 
may  be  thrown  into  the  roots  and  not  into  the  running 
vines.  Make  the  hills  large  and  broad,  not  pointed.  In 
hoeing,  draw  the  vines  carefully  over  towards  you  while 
you  draw  up  the  earth  and  cover  the  weeds ;  then  lay 
them  carefully  back,  and  finish  the  other  side  in  the  same 
manner.  At  this  time  fill  the  spaces  between  the  rows 
with  leaves  and  litter  while  the  ground  is  wet,  to  retain 
the  moisture.  After  the  vines  have  covered  the  ground 
too  much  to  use  the  hoe,  any  large  weeds  that  appear 
should  be  pulled  up  by  hand. 

The  Yam  potato  can  also  be  raised  from  seed,  but 
the  Spanish  variety,  like  the  sugar  cane  and  many  other 
plants  long  propagated  by  division,  rarely  produces  seed. 

Just  as  soon  as  the  tops  are  killed  by  frost,  the  potatoes 
should  be  gathered.  In  field  crops  they  can  be  plowed  up 
and  gathered  by  hands  which  follow  the  plow,  depositing 
the  potatoes  in  small  heaps,  but  in  the  garden  the  potato 
can  be  gathered  with  the  hoe  or  the  potato  hook,  an  im- 
plement much  used  in  gathering  crops  of  the  Irish  potato. 
It  is  better  to  do  this  in  a  dry  day,  and  many  prefer  to 
dig  their  potatoes  just  before  the  frost  kills  the  vines, 
thinking  they  keep  better. 

To  keep  sweet  potatoes,  it  is  necessary,  at  the  North, 
to  store  them  in  a  dry,  warm  place,  in  well-dried  sand. 
At  the  South,  they  are  safely  stored  in  hills  containing 
thirty  or  forty  bushels  each.  Let  the  potatoes,  when  dug, 
dry  in  the  sun  through  the  day,  and  in  digging  and  hand- 
ling, they  should  not  be  bruised.  Elevate  the  bottom  of 
the  intended  pile  about  six  inches  with  earth,  furnished  by 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  285 

digging  around  it  a  circular  trench.  On  this  put  pine 
straw  two  or  three  inches  thick,  or  dry  leaves,  on  which 
place  the  potatoes  piled  in  a  regular  cone.  If  the  weather 
is  good,  cover  them  only  with  pine  or  other  straw  for  two 
or  three  days,  until  the  potatoes  are  well  dried,  before 
their  final  earthing  up.  Let  the  covering  of  straw  be 
three  or  four  inches  thick ;  then  cover  it  over  with  large 
strips  of  pine  bark,  commencing  at  the  base,  and  cover  as 
shingling  unto  the  top,  leaving  a  small  aperture.  Cover 
four  or  five  inches  thick  with  earth  over  all,  except  this 
aperture,  which  must  be  left  open  for  the  escape  of  the 
heat  and  moisture  generated  within. — (Peabody.) 

Some  cover  this  opening  with  a  piece  of  pine  bark,  to 
keep  out  the  rain,  but  a  board  shelter  is  preferable.  It  is 
well  to  protect  the  hills  from  rain  by  a  temporary  roof  of 
plank.  When  the  weather  gets  warm,  in  the  spring,  take 
up  the  potatoes,  rub  off  the  sprouts,  and  keep  on  a  dry 
floor.  If  put  up  with  care,  they  will  keep  until  July. 
One  important  step  toward  their  certain  preservation  is  to 
gather  them  carefully  from  the  ground,  as  the  least  bruise 
produces  rapid  decay. 

For  Seed,  some  of  the  finest  roots  of  the  most  produc- 
tive hills  can  be  packed  in  barrels,  and  covered  with  sand, 
in  a  dry,  warm  place,  free  from  all  exposure  to  frost.  A 
small  garden  crop  is  best  kept  in  barrels  with  dry  sand  or 
leaves ;  if  the  latter,  a  layer  of  leaves  at  the  bottom,  then 
a  layer  of  potatoes,  then  a  layer  of  leaves,  and  so  on  until 
the  cask  is  filled.  Use  dry  leaves,  and  store  in  a  dry  place. 

Use. — This  root  is  deservedly  a  favorite  at  the  table, 
and  the  most  wholesome  grown.  In  nutritious  properties, 
it  excels  all  other  roots  cultivated  in  this  country,  except 
the  carrot.  Weight  for  weight,  it  contains  more  than 
double  the  quantity  of  starch,  sugar,  and  other  elements 
of  nutrition,  that  are  found  in  the  best  varieties  of  Irish 
potato.  For  feeding  stock,  three  bushels  are  equal  to  one 
of  Indian  com,  yielding,  on  the  same  land,  five  or  sir 


GARDENING   FOll  THE   SOUTH. 

times  the  food  that  is  produced  by  this  most  profitable 
grain. 

A  good  baked  sweet  potato  is  almost  as  nutritive*  as 
bread.  They  are  better  baked  than  boiled.  They  are  also 
used  for  pies  and  puddings,  and  sweet  potato  rolls  are  ex- 
cellent. In  short,  the  modes  of  cooking  this  valuable 
vegetable  are  innumerable,  but  perhaps  the  very  best  is 
Marion's  mode  of  roasting  in  the  hot  ashes. 


PUMPKIN.— (Cterfo'fa  Pepo.) 

A  trailing  annual,  from  India  and  the  Levant,  with 
globular  or  cylindrical  fruit.  It  has  become  so  crossed 
that  it  is  difficult  to  say  of  some  varieties  to  which  species 
they  should  be  referred. 

The  best  variety  for  family  use  is  the  Cashaw,  a  long, 
cylindrical,  curved  variety,  swollen  at  one  extremity,  of 
fine,  creamy  yellow  color,  very  solid  and  excellent  to  use 
as  a  winter  squash,  and  quite  as  valuable  as  any  for  the 
other  purposes.  Pumpkins  are  not  as  particular  about 
soil  as  melons  and  cucumbers,  but  will  grow  well  on  any 
tolerably  rich  ground.  It  is  not  best  to  grow  them  in  the 
garden,  as  they  will  mix  and  corrupt  the  seed  of  the  other 
varieties.  They  like  a  soil  freshly  reclaimed  from  the 
woods;  the  field  is  the  proper  place  for  their  cultivation. 
Plant  when  the  main  crop  of  corn  is  put  in ;  let  the  hills 
be  ten  feet  apart.  Hoe  frequently  and  keep  clean.  Let 
only  one  plant  remain  in  each  hill.  Do  not  earth  *up  the 
plants,  but  keep  the  soil  about  them  light  and  loose  with 
the  hoe,  until  the  vines  prevent  further  culture. 

Use. — In  France,  as  well  as  in  New  England,  the  pump- 
kin is  much  used  for  stews  and  soups.  The  best,  such  as 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  287 

Cashaw,  are  good  substitutes  for  the  winter  squash,  and 
make  an  excellent  pie.  They  are  also  a  valuable  food  for 
cattle.  They  can  be  preserved  by  boiling  and  drying  the 
pulp  in  an  oven,  or  by  cutting  in  strips  and  drying  by  the 
fire,  or  will  keep  very  well  whole,  if  in  a  cool,  dry  place, 
free  from  frost. 


RADISH.— (RapJianus  sativus.) 

This  is  an  annual  Cruciferous  plant,  grown  in  England 
as  early  as  1548,  being  one  of  the  plants  mentioned  by 
Gerard.  The  lower  leaves  are  lyrate ;  stem  about  two 
feet  high,  with  pale  violet  flowers ;  the  root  fleshy,  spin- 
dle or  globular-shaped,  of  various  colors.  There  are  two 
kinds  of  radish,  the  spindle-rooted,  and  the  globular  or 
turnip-rooted.  These  are  again  divided  into  early  and 
late  varieties,  among  which  we  will  notice : 

Early  Scarlet  Short-Top,  —  Root  long  and  spindle- 
shaped  ;  leaves  very  short.  It  is  the  earliest,  most  crisp 
and  mild«flavored,  and  requires  less  space  than  the  other 
varieties.  Much  esteemed  for  its  bright  color.  The  root 
grows  partly  above  ground.  Long  Scarlet  Early  Frame, 
and  Salmon,  differ  very  slightly  from  this. 

Scarlet  Turnip-rooted,  —  Turbinate ;  scarlet-colored ; 
flesh  white  and  tender ;  not  equal  to  the  last,  but  bears  the 
heat  better.  A  sub-variety  has  rose-colored  flesh.  An- 
other, the  Purple  Turnip-rooted,  differs  only  in  its  exter- 
nal skin,  which  is  purple. 

White  Turnip-rooted  has  a  white  exterior,  and  a  round 
bulb,  terminating  in  a  small,  fibrous  root.  Flesh,  white 
and  mild. 

Oval  (or  Oblong)  Rose -colored, — Root  oval  or  oblong ; 


288  GARDENING   FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

crimson  skin,  and  tender,  rose-colored  flesh.     The  best  of 
all  in  quality ;  good  for  forcing  and  the  early  crop. 

Yellow  Slimmer* — This  is  a  turnip-rooted  variety,  named 
from  its  color,  and  will  stand  the  heat  better  than  any 
other  variety. 

Black  Winter  or  Spanish. — Turnip-shaped,  black,  and 
very  large ;  sown  in  August  or  September  with  turnips. 
It  can  be  gathered  and  stored  for  winter.  The  flesh  is 
white,  hard,  and  hot.  The  White  Spanish  is  white  outside, 
and  the  flesh  milder  than  the  Black. 

Chinese  Rose-colored  Winter.— Conical ;  bright  rose- 
colored  ;  flesh  solid ;  texture  fine ;  rather  hot. 

White  Chinese. — Outside  white ;  bulb  inversely  turbi- 
nate ;  flesh  milder  than  the  last  three,  tender,  and  excel- 
lent ;  the  best  winter  sort.  The  Scarlet  Oval  Rose  and 
White  Chinese  are  the  best  sorts. 

Culture. — Radishes  like  a  rich,  sandy  loam,  dug  a  full 
spade  deep,  but  succeed  in  any  good  garden  soil.  Their 
culture  is  very  simple.  If  manure  be  freshly  applied,  it 
should  be  at  the  bottom  of  the  soil,  or  the  roots  will  fork. 
They  are  often  sown  in  beds  four  or  five  feet  wide,  thinly 
broadcast ;  but  it  is  better  to  put  them  in  drills  about 
eight  or  ten  inches  apart,  an  inch  deep,  scattering  the  seed 
thinly,  which  may  be  in  beds  devoted  to  this  crop,  or  made 
between  the  wider  rows  of  beets,  parsnips,  onions,  carrots, 
as  well  as  spinach,  peas,  beans,  Irish  potatoes,  yielding 
large  crops,  and  taking  up  no  room  available  for  other 
purposes. 

From  the  first  of  November  until  March  a  succession 
of  the  Oval  Rose,  or  Scarlet  Short-top  varieties,  can  be 
grown  under  glass.  All  that  is  required  is  a  bed  of  good, 
rich  loam,  watering  them  occasionally,  and  giving  air  ev- 
ery day,  when  it  does  not  absolutely  freeze.  Let  the  sash 
be  off  every  mild  rain,  and  let  the  earth  come  within 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  289 

seven  or  eight  inches  of  the  glass.  On  open  ground  crops 
can  be  made  for  fall  use,  if  desired,  by  sowing  in  succes- 
sion, after  the  summer  heats  are  over,  until  about  the  time 
of  the  first  frosts.  With  the  first  opening  of  spring,  com- 
mence planting  in  the  open  ground,  and  sow  every  week 
or  two  until  the  dry,  hot  weather  comes  on.  In  the  low 
country  South,  they  may  be  grown  all  winter,  with  no 
other  protection  than  a  little  litter  thrown  over  the  beds 
in  severe  frosts.  As  birds  are  very  fond  of  the  seed,  it  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  protect  the  beds  with  nets.  Rad- 
ishes are  of  such  rapid  growth,  that  they  will  generally 
take  care  of  themselves  after  planting  in  a  good  soil,  but 
hoeing  once  will  hasten  their  growth. 

For  Seed. — Some  of  the  finest  and  earliest  can  remain 
where  grown,  or  be  removed  to  another  bed  and  inserted 
up  to  their  leaves.  Water  frequently  until  established, 
and  while  the  flowers  are  opening.  Let  the  roots  be  three 
feet  apart,  and  do  not  permit  any  others  to  flower  near 
them,  if  pure  seeds  are  desired.  When  the  pods  turn  dry, 
gather,  dry,  thresh  out,  and  save  in  paper  bags.  The  seed 
will  keep  three  years. 

Use. — The  tops  used  to  be  boiled  for  greens.  The  seed 
leaves,  when  they  first  appear,  are  used  as  a  salad,  with 
cress  and  mustard,  and  the  seed-pods,  gathered  young, 
form  a  good  pickle,  and  are  a  substitute  for  capers. 

There  is  a  species,  JKaphanus  caudatus,  or  Rat-tailed 
radish,  of  which  the  pod  grows  a  foot  or  more  in  length, 
with  a  peculiar  pungent  but  delicate  flavor,  and  it  may 
be  eaten  like  the  root,  or  pickled.  It  is  from  Java. 

But  of  the  common  species  the  roots  are  the  parts 
mainly  used.  They  are  much  relished,  while  young  and 
crisp,  for  the  breakfast  table.  They'contain  little  besido 
water,  woody  fiber,  and  acrid  matter ;  so  they  cannot  be 
very  nourishing  or  wholesome.  When  young,  and  of 
good  varieties,  they  are  much  more  digestible  than  when 
older  and  more  fibrous. 
13 


290  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

RAMPION. — (Campanula  Rapunculus.) 

This  is  an  English  "biennial  plant,  related  to  the  Canter- 
bury-bell, with  a  long,  white,  spindle-shaped  root,  lower 
leaves  oval  lanceolate,  with  a  panicle  of  blue  bell-shaped 
flowers  in  June.  It  has  a  milky  juice. 

Culture. — Sow  the  seed  in  April  or  May  in  a  rich, 
shady  border.  It  likes  a  moist,  rich  soil,  not  too  stiff. 
The  seed  must  be  very  slightly  covered,  but  fine  earth 
should  be  pressed  upon  it.  As  the  plants  grow,  thin  them 
to  four  inches  apart,  and  pull  them  before  they  run  to 
seed. 

To  save  seeds,  allow  some  of  the  best  plants  to  remain. 

Use. — The  root  is  eaten  raw  like  a  radish,  and  has  a 
pleasant,  nutty  flavor.  Cultivated  only  by  those  in  search 
of  variety. 


RAPE,  OR  COLZA. — (Brassica  Napus,  var.  oleifera.) 

Rape,  or  Colza,  is  a  biennial  plant  of  the  cabbage  tribe, 
a  native  of  England,  with  glaucous  radical  leaves  and 
yellow  flowers,  appearing  early  in  spring.  It  is  often 

called  Kale. 

• 

Culture. — Sow  at  the  same  time  with  cresses  and  mus- 
tard in  late  winter  and  spring.  Sow  in  drills  or  beds,  and 
follow  the  culture  directed  for  white  mustard.  Rape, 
sown  like  turnips  the  first  of  September,  will  survive  the 
frosts  and  afford  an  abundance  of  fine  greens  the  latter 
part  of  winter  and  -early  in  spring,  wherever  the  turnip 
will  stand  the  winter. 

Seed. — A  few  plants  sown  in  August  andr  September, 
and  kept  over,  will  flower  and  seed  the  next  year  abund- 
antly. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  291 

Use. — The  seed  leaves  are  gathered  young  for  a  small 
salad  with  cresses  and  mustard.  Later  it  is  used  like 
mustard  for  greens.  This  plant  is  much  cultivated  in  Eu- 
rope for  the  oil  expressed  from  its  seeds. 

Rape,  Edible-rooted,  or  French  Turnip,  J5.  Napus, 
var.  esculenta,  is  another  variety  with  edible  roots,  some- 
times cultivated  as  a  substitute  for  the  turnip.  The  root 
is  white,  carrot-shaped,  about  the  size  of  the  middle  finger. 
It  is  much  grown  in  Germany  and  France.  [This  is  not 
the  French  Turnip  of  the  North,  and  is  the  Teltow  of  the 
Germans. — ED.] 

Culture. — It  is  raised  from  seed,  which  may  be  sown  in 
August  or  September,  and  requires  the  same  treatment  as 
turnip.  It  likes  a  sandy  soil,  and  if  grown  in  too  rich 
earth,  it  loses  its  sweetness.  In  dry  weather,  the  beds 
must  be  watered  regularly  until  the  plants  get  three  or 
four  leaves.  To  save  seed,  see  "  Turnip." 

Use. — It  is  much  used  in  continental  cookery,  and  en- 
riches all  the  French  soups.  Stewed  in  gravy,  it  forms  an 
excellent  dish,  and  being  white  and  carrot-shaped,  when 
mixed  with  carrots  upon  a  dish,  it  is  very  ornamental. 
In  using,  there  will  be  no  necessity  of  cutting  away  the 
outer  rind,  in  which  the  flavor  chiefly  resides.  Scraping 
will  be  quite  sufficient. 


RHUBARB.— (Rheum.) 

The  garden  Rhubarb,  or  Pie-plant,  is  a  perennial  of  the 
same  natural  family  as  the  common  dock.  The  varieties 
now  cultivated  are  hybrids,  and  have  supplanted  the 
original  species,  Rheum  Rhaponticum,  palmatum,  and  un~ 
dulatum,  excelling  them  in  size,  earliness,  and  delicacy  of 
flavor.  The  best  sorts  are  the  Early,  which  is  of  but  me 


292  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

dium  size ;    Myatt's  Linnaeus,  rather  early,  and  yielding 
large  crops  of  large  leaves,  and  the  best  flavored  of  all 
Myatt's  Victoria,  which  is  two  weeks  later ;    stalks  ver;y 
large,  and  good ;  Downing's  Colossal,  and  Gaboon's  Mam 
moth,  very  large  varieties,  of  good  flavor. 

Rhubarb  is  remarkable  for  the  quantity  of  phosphates 
and  soda  it  extracts  from  the  earth.  Crude  soda  might  be 
added  to  the  soil.  Guano  and  bone-dust  are  very  beneficial. 

Rhubarb  succeeds  best  in  a  rich,  deep,  rather  light  loam, 
and  in  a  situation  open  to  the  air  and  light.  Trench  the 
ground  two  spades  deep.  It  may  be  raised  from  seed,  but 
thus  grown,  sports  into  new  varieties.  It  is  best  prop- 
agated by  dividing  the  roots,  reserving  a  bud  to  each 
piece.  These  may  set  about  two  inches  deep  in  rows  three 
feet  apart,  and  from  eighteen  to  thirty  inches  (according 
to  the  sort)  in  the  row.  All  the  culture  required  is  to 
keep  the  surface  soil  light  and  free  from  weeds.  The  plan- 
tation may  be  made  in  the  fall,  after  the  leaves  are  killed 
by  frost,  and  protected  by  litter,  or  as  early  in  the  spring 
as  the  weather  and  soil  permit.  It  should  not  be  disturb- 
ed after  growth  commences.  Pluck  no  leaves  the  first 
year,  after  which  the  crop  will  be  abundant.  Make  a  new 
plantation  about  once  in  five  years.  If  a  plant  or  two  in 
summer  dies  out,  as  it  is  apt  to  do  in  the  South,  it  is  best 
to  remove  the  next  autumn  the  old  plant  together  with  soil 
in  which  it  grew,  and  supply  fresh  soil.  New  plants  to  re- 
set the  vacancy  can  be  obtained  by  uncovering  an  old  crown 
and  cutting  from  it  a  bud  with  a  piece  of  root  attached. 

To  obtain  the  largest  product,  the  flower  stems  should 
be  broken  off  when  they  appear,  for  the  plant  is  weakened 
by  permitting  it  to  seed.  A  yearly  surface  dressing  of 
well-rotted  manure  should  be  given,  for  the  stalks,  to  be 
good,  must  be  quickly  grown. 

Forcing. — This  plant  is  forced  by  placing  a  large  flower 
pot  over  the  roots,  and  covering  with  stable  manure.  The 
more  common  way  is  to  surround  the  plant  with  a  small 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  293 

barrel  without  a  head ;  a  cover  is  placed  over  it  at  night 
and  in  cold  days,  and  it  is  then  surronnded  with  a  pile  of 
stable  manure  built  up  in  as  sharp  a  cone  as  it  can  be  made 
to  form.  If  the  root  is  good,  it  will  soon  fill  the  barrel  with 
shoots.  The  plant  should  be  permitted  to  rest  after  this 
crop  through  the  season,  and  others  be  selected  for  the  pur- 
pose the  next  year.  This  operation,  at  the  North,  is  com- 
mon enough,  but  at  the  South  it  is  generally  death  to  the 
plant. 

Use. — The  leaf-stem,  or  petiole  of  this  plant,  when  the 
external  skin  is  removed,  is  cut  up  in  thin  slices,  and  hav- 
ing an  agreeable  acid,  is  used  exactly  like  the  apple  for 
pies,  tarts,  and  sauce,  at  a  time  that  fruits  cannot  be 
obtained.  Gather  them  while  young,  just  as  they  attain 
their  full  size,  before  they  lose  their  fine  flavor.  They 
should  be  gently  slipped  from  the  root  without  using  a 
knife. 

This  plant  is  in  almost  universal  use  in  England,  France, 
and  the  Northern  States,  and  succeeds  perfectly  well  in 
Middle  Georgia.  We  hope  to  see  it  common  in  Southern 
gardens  wherever  it  will  succeed. 


ROCAMBOLE.-  {Allium  Scorodoprasum.) 

This  is  a  hardy,  perennial,  Liliaceous  plant,  of  the  onion 
tribe,  from  Denmark,  and  is  sometimes  called  Spanish 
Garlic,  and  Great  Shallot.  It  has  its  bulbs  and  cloves 
growing  in  a  cluster,  forming  a  kind  of  compound  root. 
The  stem  also  bears  bulbs  at  its  summit.  These  are  often 
sold  for  onion  buttons. 

Culture. — It  is  best  propagated  by  the  root-bulbs,  thos« 


294  GABDEXING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

of  the  summit  being  slow  in  production.  The  planting 
may  be  made  at  any  time  in  the  fall,  winter,  or  spring. 
Insert  the  bulbs  in  drills  eight  inches  apart  and  six  inches 
in  the  drill,  with  the  dibble,  about  two  inches  deep.  Keep 
clear  of  weeds,  and  cultivate  and  store  like  garlic.  A 
very  few  roots  are  sufficient  for  any  family. 

Use. — The  bulbs  are  used  in  the  same  manner  as  garlic, 
and  are  preferred  for  cooking,  being  of  much  milder  flavor. 


BOQUETTE.— (Bramca  eruca.) 

This  is  an  annual  plant  from  France,  of  which  the 
leaves  are  used  as  a  salad.  Sow  thinly  in  drills  a  foot 
apart,  as  soon  as  spring  opens;  here  in  February  and 
March.  Water  frequently,  if  necessary,  which  will  lesser 
the  acrid  taste  of  the  young  leaves ;  gather  young.  Not 
much  cultivated. 


SALSIFY.— (Tragopogon  porrifolifolius.) 

Salsify,  or  Vegetable  Oyster,  is  a  hardy,  tap-rooted  bi- 
ennial, a  native  of  various  parts  of  Europe,  with  long 
tapering  root  of  a  fleshy,  white  substance,  the  herbage 
smooth  and  glaucous,  the  flower-stem  three  or  four  feet 
high,  and  the  flower  of  a  dull  purple  color.  It  belongs  to 
the  Composite  Family. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  395 

Salsify  likes  a  light,  mellow  soil,  dug  very  deeply,  as  for 
carrots  and  other  tap-rooted  plants.  Sow  early  in  spring, 
and  for  a  succession  until  the  summer 
heats  come  on,  rather  thickly,  in  drills 
an  inch  deep  and  a  foot  apart.  An 
ounce  of  seed  will  sow  a  square  rod. 
Scarlet  radish  may  also  be  sown  thinly 
in  the  same  drills.  When  an  inch  high, 
thin  the  plants,  and  continue  by  degrees 
until  the  plants  are  six  inches  apart.  If 
the  soil  is  deep  and  moist,  they  will  grow 
all  summer  and  not  run  up  to  seed.  Wa- 
tering in  dry  weather,  especially  with 
guano  water,  will  greatly  invigorate  the 
plants.  Cultivate  the  soil,  and  keep  it 
free  from  weeds,  as  for  beets  and  car- 
rots. The  roots  may  be  drawn  and 
stored  in  sand,  but  where  the  winters 
are  open  should  remain  in  the  ground 
all  winter,  to  be  pulled  as  wanted. 

For  Seed. — Leave,  or  transplant  some 
of  the  best  plants  in  spring,  which  will 
produce  seed  abundantly.  Gather  and 
dry  in  the  heads,  where  they  may  be 
kept  until  wanted. 

Use. — The  stalks  of  old  plants  are 
sometimes  cut  in  the  spring,  as  a  substi- 
tute for  asparagus.  The  roots  are  boiled 
or  stewed  like  carrots,  and  have  a  mild, 
sweet  flavor,  being  wholesome,  palatable, 

and  tolerably  nutritive.     They  are  most- 
Fig.  74.— SALSIFY,     i  i      a  •      '.L  i  •   i_ 

ly  cooked  to  imitate  oysters,  to  which 
the  flavor  has  some  resemblance. 


290  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 


This  is  a  genus  of  Labiate  plants  of  which  there  are 
two  species  in  cultivation  ;  the  Summer  Savory,  Satureja 
hortensis,  a  hardy  annual  ;  and  Winter  Savory,  Satureja 
montana,  a  shrubby  perennial  —  both  natives  of  Italy, 
and  cultivated  for  their  warm,  aromatic  flavors. 

Both  may  be  propagated  by  seed.  Sow  in  spring,  as 
soon  as  the  ground  is  a,  little  warm,  moderately  thick,  in 
shallow  drills,  and  cover  lightly.  For  Summer  Savory, 
the  rows  should  be  twelve  inches  apart,  and  the  plants 
thinned  to  six  inches;  the  thinnings  may  be  transplanted 
to  the  same  distance.  Winter  Savory  requires  more  room  ; 
the  plants  should  be  a  foot  apart,  in  drills  fifteen  inches 
asunder.  This  can  be  propagated  also,  by  slips,  cuttings, 
or  division  of  the  roots.  All  the  care  required  is  to  keep 
free  from  weeds.  Seed  can  be  gathered  as  it  ripens  from 
a  root  or  two  left  uncut  for  the  purpose. 

Use.  —  The  leaves  of  these  herbs  are  much  employed  in 
soups,  salads,  stuffings,  &c.,  on  account  of  their  agreeable 
pungent  flavor.  They  are  also  said  to  possess  the  desirable 
power  of  "  expelling  fleas  from  a  bed."  Formerly,  they 
were  much  used  in  medicine.  Gather  when  they  come 
into  bloom,  and  dry  for  winter  use  in  the  shade,  pound  in  a 
mortar,  pass  through  a  sieve,  and  put  up  in  bottles  closely 
stopped,  and  they  will  retain  their  fragrance  any  length 
of  time. 


SCORZONERA. — (Scorzonera  Hwpanica.') 

Scorzonera  is  a  hardy,  tap-rooted  perennial,  a  native  of 
Spain,  and  cultivated  in  England  since  1576.  The  stem  is 
two  'or  three  feet  high,  few-leaved,  branched  at  the  top. 
The  flowers  are  yellow. 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  297 

Culture. — It  is  raised  from  seed,  which  must  be  sown 
yearly.  The  soil,  like  that  for  most  root  crops,  must  be 
mellow,  deep,  and  fertile.  Sow  any  time  in  spring,  in  drills 
a  foot  apart,  and  cover  the  seed  half  an  inch  deep.  In 
the  South  it  is  better  to  sow  two  or  three  different  times, 
as  the  early  sown  may  run  to  seed,  and  the  late  sown  may 
not  vegetate.  When  the  plants  are  three  inches  high, 
thin  them  to  eight  inches  in  the  drill.  In  short,  to  culti- 
vate and  save  seed,  see  Salsify. 

Use. — The  roots  are  carrot-shaped,  but  with  a  black 
skin.  They  are  white  within,  are  agreeable  to  the  taste, 
and  nutritive,  but  before  use,  the  bitter  outer  rind  must 
be  scraped  off.  They  are  then  boiled  and  used  like  salsify 
or  carrots.  The  roots  continue  good  all  winter.  The 
plant  is  too  similar  to  salsify  to  render  its  cultivation 
an  object  where  that  is  grown. 


SCTJEVY  GRASS.— (Cochlearia  officinalis.) 

A  hardy,  Cruciferous,  annual  plant,  found  near  the  sea 
shores  of  most  temperate  climates. 

It  is  propagated  by  seed  sown  as  soon  as  ripe,  or  very 
early  in  spring.  Sow  in  shallow  drills,  eight  inches  apart, 
and  thin  to  four  inches.  Keep  free  from  weeds,  and  water 
in  dry  weather.  Used  as  an  addition  to  salads,  like 
cresses,  and  medicinally  in  scurvy. 


SEA  KALE. — (Crambe  maratima.) 

This  is  a  hardy,  Cruciferous  perennial,  a  native  of  the 

dry,  shingly  shores  of  Great  Britain.     The  plant  is  smooth, 

of  a  beautiful  glaucous  hue,  covered  with  a  fine  meal,  and 

with  large,  sinuated  radical   leaves.     The  flower  is  of  a 

13* 


298 


GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


rich  white   appearance,   and  a  honeyed   smell.     It  has 
probably  been    cultivated  in  gardens   one   hundred   and 
fifty  years,  but  not  very  generally  until  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century,  though  the  English  peasantry  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  gather- 
ing the  blanched  shoots  as 
they   pushed    through    the 
sand,  and  boiling  them  as 
greens,  from  time  immemo- 
rial.    Though  a  native  of  a 
cool    climate,    it    succeeds 
perfectly  in  middle  Georgia. 
Culture. — The  native  soil 
of  sea  kale  is  a  deep  sand, 
mingled  with  matter  from 
the    sea.     It    likes   a   deep 
mould,  or  sandy  loam,  and  if 
poor,    well-putrified     dung 
and  half-decayed  leaves  may 
be  added.  Upon  the  richness 
and  proper  preparation  of 
the  soil  the  luxuriance  of  the 
plant  depends.  The  situation 
must  be  free  from  all  shade 
of  trees.     Sea  kale  is  propa- 
gated by  seeds,  or  offsets,  or 
cuttings  of  the  root ;  but  the 
best  plants  are  raised  from 
seed.  Sow  the  seed  in  a  well- 
prepared  soil,  rich,  or  made 
so  with  well-decomposed  manure,  and  shaded  by  a  fence, 
or  building,  from  the  midday  sun.     Draw  the  drills  one 
foot  apart,  and  scatter  the  seed  thinly  along  the  drills. 
The  beds  should  be  about  four  feet  wide,  for  convenience. 
Sow  very  early  in  spring.     If  the  outer  coat  of.  the  seed 
be  bruised,,  not  injuring  the  latter,  the  germination  will 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  299 

be  accelerated.  The  plants  are  very  slow  in  appearing ; 
never  less  than  three  weeks,  often  four  or  five  months,  and 
sometimes  a  full  year.  Water  plentifully  in  dry  weather, 
and  keep  the  seed-beds  free  from  weeds  during  the  season. 
Thin  the  plants,  as  they  appear,  to  an  inch  apart,  and,  as 
they  grow  strong,  to  two  or  three  inches,  and  keep  free 
from  weeds.  In  the  autumn,  when  their  leaves  decay,  clear 
them  away,  and  earth  them  up  about  the  crowns  with  an 
inch  or  two  of  soil  from  the  alleys,  or  leaf-mould  from  the 
woods,  and  cover  over  the  whole  bed,  four  inches  deep, 
with  long  litter,  and  leave  it  to  stand  until  the  time  of 
transplanting. 

As  early  as  possible  the  spring  ensuing,  prepare  the  per- 
manent bed  for  those  you  wish  to  transplant.  Those 
raised  where  they  are  to  remain  succeed  best. 

Let  the  soil  be  light,  and  well  enriched  with  good  com- 
post. Leaf  manure  is  better  than  hot  dung.  Dig  it  up 
deeply  and  thoroughly,  at  least  two  feet  deep,  and  lay  it 
off  in  beds  three  feet  wide,  with  alleys  between,  two  feet 
in  width.  Upon  each  of  these  beds  plant  two  rows  of 
plants  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  the  same  distance  in  the 
row.  Take  up  the  plants  very  carefully  with  the  trowel, 
so  as  not  to  disturb  the  roots.  If  you  plant  cuttings  of 
old  plants,  put  two  in  each  place,  to  guard  against  failures. 
In  all  cases,  be  careful  in  transplanting  that  the  roots 
are  not  broken  or  dried  by  exposure  to  the  sun  and 
air.  During  the  dry,  hot  weather  of  summer,  the  beds 
should  be  liberally  watered,  the  first  season  after  replant- 
ing, as  upon  their  summer  growth  depends  the  next 
season's  crop.  Keep  the  soil  clean,  and  after  the  plants 
get  well  rooted,  dig  over  the  ground  between  the  rows, 
making  the  soil  as  fine  as  possible. 

The  coming  autumn,  the  earthing-tip  must  be  a  little 
increased  ;  give  a  coat  of  leaf-mould,  or  compost  manure, 
and  over  this  a  thick  coat  of  leaves,  which  will  bring  the 
plants  on  early  in  the  spring.  The  next  spring  remove 


300  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

the  litter,  and  dig  in  some  of  the  manure  into  the  alleys, 
and  then,  if  you  blanch  with  pots,  spread  over  the  beds 
about  an  inch  deep  of  clean  sand.  The  shoots  may  be 
blanched,  and  a  few  cut  for  use,  but  sparingly,  as  the 
plants  must  not  be  weakened.  The  better  way  is  not  to 
remove  the  covering  of  leaves  until  you  have  gathered 
what  you  desire.  On  a  portion  of  the  bed  to  produce 
early,  the  winter  covering  of  compost  and  leaves  must  be 
yearly  applied. 

Another  portion  must  be  left  uncovered  until  the  shoots 
begin  to  rise,  and  then  covered  with  eight  or  ten  inches 
of  sand,  for  a  later  crop.  Each  spring  give  it  a  dressing 
of  salt,  like  asparagus,  and  dig  over  the  surface  of  the 
bed,  as  before.  Retain  for  each  plant  only  four  or  five  of 
the  best  suckers,  at  regular  distances  around  the  stem ; 
suffer  none  of  these  to  seed,  if  you  would  not  greatly 
injure  the  next  year's  growth. 

Sea  kale,  though  eatable  without  blanching,  as  spring 
greens,  is  vastly  improved  when  blanched.  This  may  be 
done  by  earthing-up  the  crowns  eight  or  ten  inches  with 
sand,  or  light  mould,  or  by  retaining  the  coat  of  dry 
leaves  put  over  the  beds  in  autumn. 

This  covering  may  remain  until  the  cutting  ceases  in 
the  spring,  when  all  covering  must  be  removed  at  evening, 
or  in  cloudy  weather.  The  shoots  will  raise  the  covering 
when  in  a  fit  state  for  cutting.  The  courses  of  leaves 
should  be  from  five  to  twelve  inches  thick,  according  to 
the  age  of  the  plants,  and  as  directed  above,  may  remain 
on  all  winter.  But  a  large  flower  pot,  with  the  hole  in 
the  bottom  stopped,  and  light  at  the  edges  carefully 
excluded  by  a  coat  of  litter,  is  the  best  of  all  modes  of 
blanching. 

For  Seed. — A  plant  that  has  not  been  blanched  or  cut 
from  must  be  allowed  to  run  to  seed  in  the  spring.  A 
single  plant  will  produce  an  abundant  supply. 

. — sea  kale  comes  on  early  in  March,  when  vege- 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTUKE.  301 

tables  are  scarce,  and  affords  a  very  wholesome  and  agree- 
able table  luxury.  The  young  shoots  and  leaf  stalks, 
before  unfolding,  are  boiled  and  dressed  like  asparagus, 
are  employed  in  soups,  and  also  make  an  agreeable  salad. 


SHALLOT,  OR  ESCHALLOT.— (AlUum  Asoolonicum.) 

This  is  a  plant  of  the  onion  tribe,  which  derives  its 
botanical  name  from  growing  wild  at  Ascalon,  in  Syria. 
It  has  a  strong  taste,  but  as  the  strong  flavor  is  not 
offensive,  like  the  garlic,  and  does  not  remain  so  long  upon 
the  palate  as  the  onion,  it  is  often  preferred.  The  root  is 
bulbous,  similar  to  that  of  garlic  in  being  divided  into 
cloves,  included  in  a  membrane.  It  rarely  sends  up  a 
flower-stock,  and  hence  is  often  called  the  barren  onion. 

The  best  sorts  are  the  Common  and  the  Long-Keeping, 
of  which  last  the  bulbs  have  been  kept  two  years.  The 
"  Big  Shallot"  of  our  gardens  is  Rocambole. 

Culture. — It  is  propagated  from  the  offsets  of  the  roots* 
Prepare  the  beds  as  for  the  rest  of  the  onion  tribe,  but  it 
will  do  with  not  quite  as  rich  a  soil.  Let  the  soil  be  made 
perfectly  light  and  friable.  The  last  of  September  is  the 
best  time  for  planting  the  early  crop,  but  they  may  be 
planted  any  time  during  the  autumn  and  winter.  The 
early  planted  ones  come  into  use  early  in  May.  Make  the 
beds  four  feet  wide,  and  mark  them  off  in  drills  an  inch 
leep,  ten  or  twelve  inches  distant,  and  put  the  offsets  out 
ix  inches  apart  in  the  drills.  Do  not  cover  deeply ;  leave 
the  point  of  the  clove  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  and  press  the  soil  around.  Keep  the  ground  free 
from  weeds,  but  be  particular,  in  hoeing,  not  to  earth  up 
the  bulbs.  The  leek  is  the  only  member  of  the  onion 
tribe  that  is  not  injured  by  gathering  the  earth  about  its 


302  GAKDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

stem.  Take  up  the  bulbs  when  ripe,  dry  in  the  shade, 
and  preserve  as  garlic.  They  may  be  kept  until  the  next 
spring. 

Use. — The  shallot,  though  more  pungent  than  some 
members  of  the  onion  family,  is  preferred  by  many  in 
seasoning  gravies,  soups,  sauces,  and  other  culinary  prep 
arations,  and  is  by  some  considered  almost  indispensable  in 
the  preparation  of  a  good  beefsteak.  It  can  be  pickled  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  onion. 


SKIRRET.— (8ium  sisarum.) 

Skirret  is  a  perennial  Umbelliferous  plant  from  China, 
known  in  Europe  since  1548.  It  grows  a  foot  high, 
with  pinnate  lower  leaves.  The  root  is  composed  of 
several  fleshy  tubers,  the  size  of  the  little  finger,  joined  at 
the  crown. 

Culture. — Skirret  likes  a  deep,  rich,  rather  moist  soil, 
with  the  manure  applied  at  the  bottom.  The  situation 
should  be  open.  It  is  propagated  by  seeds,  or  by  offsets 
of  established  roots.  Seedlings  produce  the  best  roots. 
Sow  in  spring,  when  the  ground  becomes  warm,  in  drills 
an  inch  deep  and  ten  inches  apart.  "When  the  plants  are 
an  inch  or  two  high,  thin  to  six  or  eight  inches  apart. 
Cultivate  like  salsify,  and  keep  clear  from  weeds.  They 
will  be  fit  for  use  in  August,  but  can  remain  in  the  ground, 
to  use  as  wanted,  all  winter.  Slips  of  the  old  roots  may 
be  set  out  nine  inches  apart  and  cultivated  in  the  same 
manner.  Leave  some  of  the  plants  in  the  ground,  and 
they  will  throw  up  seed-stalks  and  ripen  seed  during  the 
summer  following. 

Use. — The  tubers  are  boiled  and  are  very  sweet,  some- 
what like  the  parsnip,  and  are  thought  more  palatable  by 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  o03 

some,  but  are  disagreeable  to  many.  They  are  boiled, 
and  served  up  with  butter,  or  cold,  with  vinegar  and  oil, 
and  are  also  cooked,  like  salsify,  in  batter.  It  was 
formerly  esteemed  as  "  the  sweetest,  whitest,  and  most 
pleasant  of  roots." 


SORREL, — (Rumex.) 

The  sorrels  are  perennial  plants  belonging  to  the  same 
family  as  dock  and  rhubarb.  There  are  three  species  cul- 
tivated, viz :  Rumex  acetosa^  or  common  English  garden 
sorrel,  of  which  the  Belleville  variety  is  best ;  R.  scutar 
tus ;  French  or  Round-leaved  Sorrel,  a  trailing  plant, 
with  more  acid  leaves  than  the  last;  JR.  montanus, 
Mountain  Sorrel,  like  the  last,  a  native  of  France,  Of  this 
last  there  are  two  varieties,  the  Common  Mountain,  and 
the  Green  Mountain  Sorrel.  The  first  has  pale  green, 
blistered  leaves,  less  acid  than  the  common  English,  and 
does  not  run  quickly  to  flower.  The  Green  Mountain  Sor- 
rel is  earlier  than  this,  and  is  the  latest  to  flower,  pro- 
ducing freely  dark  green  leaves  of  considerable  acidity. 
The  flowers  of  the  first  and  last  species  are  dioacious. 

Sorrel  will  grow  from  seed,  or  dividing  the  roots  early 
in  spring.  Sow  in  drills  fifteen  inches  apart,  and  as  they 
come  up,  thin  them  to  one  foot  in  the  row;  or  part  the 
roots  in  the  autumn  or  spring,  and  set  them  out  at  the 
same  distance.  "Water  them  occasionally  until  well  estab- 
lished. Keep  the  plants  free  from  weeds ;  cut  down  the 
stalks  occasionally  in  the  summer,  and  cover  the  crowns 
with  a  very  little  fresh  earth,  that  they  may  send  up  large 
and  tender  leaves.  When,  in  two  or  three  years,  the 
plants  begin  to  dwindle,  replant  them  in  fresh  soil.  For 
seed,  let  some  of  the  stalks  run  up,  and  gather  when  ripe. 


304  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

Use. — Sorrel  is  much  used  by  the  French  in  soups, 
sauces,  and  salads,  and  also  cooked  as  spinach,  and  when 
cooked  in  this  way  with  turnip  tops  is  thought  to  improve 
their  flavor.  Some  use  the  leaves  in  pies  as  a  substitute 
for  rhubarb. 


SPINACH. — (Spinacia  oleracea.) 

Spinach  is  a  hardy  annual  of  the  same  family  with  the 
beet,  Chenopodiacece,  and  has  been  cultivated  in  Eng- 
lish gardens  since  1568,  and  probably  long  before.  Some 
refer  its  origin  to  Western  .Asia.  The  leaves  are  large, 
stems  hollow,  and  the  male  and  female  flowers  produced 
on  different  plants.  Its  name,  Spinaeea,  is  derived  from 
the  Latin,  spina,  a  thorn,  on  account  of  the  prickly  seed 
of  one  variety. 

There  are  four  sorts,  three  of  which  are  smooth  seeded, 
and  the  other  prickly. 

Round-leaved  has  large,  roundish,  and  fleshy  leaves, 
and  is  the  sort  commonly  used  for  spring  and  summer 
crops,  but  late  in  the  season  it  soon  runs  to  seed. 

Flanders  has  smooth  seeds,  and  large,  hastate  leaves, 
six  inches  broad ;  a  hardy,  good,  winter  sort. 

Lettuce-leaved, — Leaves  rounder  than  the  last ;  fleshy, 
or  thick,  and  of  a  dark  green  color;  nearly  or  quite  as 
hardy  as  the  last. 

Prickly-seeded,  or  Winter  Spinach, — Leaves  smaller 
and  thinner  than  the  other  sorts,  triangular  shaped,  and 
very  hardy. 

Culture. — For  the  winter  crop,  a  light,  dry,  but  fertile 
soil  is  preferable ;  while  for  spring  sowings,  to  have  them 
long  in  use,  a  rich,  moist  loam  is  desirable.  The  lime  and 


VEGETABLES— DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  305 

salt  mixture  with  superphosphate  of  lime  will  supply  most 
of  the  inorganic  elements  required  by  spinach.  Give  them 
an  open  situation.  The  earth  should  be  well  pulverized 
before  sowing,  as  fine  tilth  greatly  promotes  vigorous 
growth.  Spinach  is  propagated  from  seed  so  easily,  and 
is  so  valuable  for  winter  greens,  that  no  garden  should  be 
without  it. 

The  first  crop  is  sown  at  the  South  the  first  of  October, 
and  in  succession  until  winter  sets  in,  and  on  the  coast 
through  the  winter  months  the  sowings  are  continued. 
At  New  York  the  first  of  September  is  the  proper  season. 
For  this  crop  the  prickly  is  the  hardiest,  but  the  Flanders 
and  Lettuce-leaved  are  the  best.  Another  sowing  should 
be  made  as  soon  as  spring  opens,  and  they  may  be 
continued  until  the  summer  heats  come  on,  when  the 
plants  will  quickly  run  to  seed.  Use  the  smooth-seeded 
kinds  for  the  later  crops. 

Sow  thinly  in  drills  an  inch  deep,  about  fifteen  inches 
apart,  or  eighteen  inches  for  the  larger  varieties.  Sow  in 
moist  weather,  or  if  dry,  water  the  seed  in  the  drill  before 
covering,  for  if  moisture  be  wanting  during  the  early 
stages  of  vegetation,  not  half  the  seed  will  come  up.  Thin 
them  by  degrees,  separating  them  at  first  only  an  inch  or 
two  as  the  plants  grow  fit  for  use.  Thinning  should  com- 
mence when  they  attain  four  leaves  an  inch  or  so  in 
breadth.  The  plants  must  finally  stand  for  the  prickly 
spinach,  five  inches,  and  the  round  leaf,  eight  inches  in  the 
drill.  Keep  the  rows  frequently  hoed  and  free  from 
weeds.  Hoe  in  dry  weather.  Spinach  kept  clean  and 
thinned  properly  is  not  so  liable  to  die  out  in  winter. 
During  severe  weather  a  thin  covering  of  straw  or  ever- 
green brush  is  essential  for  the  protection  of  the  winter 
crop  north  of  Washington,  and  is  very  beneficial  south  of 
that  point.  Regular  gathering  greatly  promotes  the 
health  of  the  plants.  The  outer  leaves  only  should  be 
used,  leaving  the  centre  uninjured  to  supply  successive 


306  GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

crops.  At  the  end  of  the  winter,  the  soil  between  the 
rows  of  the  winter  standing  crop  should  be  gently  stirred, 
to  assist  their  production  in  early  spring.  For  summer 
spinach  and  all  other  plants  cultivated  for  their  leaves,  the 
soil  cannot  be  too  rich. 

For  Seed. — Some  of  the  latest  plants  of  the  standing 
crop  should  be  allowed  to  run  up  to  seed  ;  let  these  plants 
be  eight  or  ten  inches  apart.  Spinach  is  dioecious,  and  the 
male  plants  may  be  removed  when  the  seed  begins  to 
form.  When  ripe,  pull  the  plants,  dry  thoroughly  on  a 
cloth,  and  beat  out  and  store  the  seed  in  paper  bags. 
Spinach  seed  will  keep  three  years. 

Use. — Spinach  and  German  Greens  are  the  best  plants 
to  raise  for  a  supply  of  early  spring  greens.  Spinach 
eaten  freely  is  laxative  and  cooling ;  it  is  not  very  nutri- 
tive, but  very  wholesome.  It  is  so  innocent  that  it  is  per- 
mitted to  be  eaten  in  diseases  where  most  vegetables  are 
proscribed.  The  leaves  are  very  tender  and  succulent, 
and  of  a  most  beautiful  green  when  boiled.  The  juice  is 
often  used  for  coloring  various  culinary  preparations. 


SPINACH,  NEW  ZEALAND.— (Tetragonia  expansa.) 

An  annual  plant  brought  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks  from 
New  Zealand,  in  1772,  with  thick,  succulent,  pale  green, 
procumbent,  deltoid  leaves,  and  with  small,  green,  incon- 
spicuous flowers.  It  grows  four  or  five  feet  high,  and  is 
of  the  same  natural  family  as  the  ice  plant. 

Culture. — New  Zealand  Spinach  may  be  sown  early  in 
April.  The  best  soil  is  loam,  deeply  dug,  and  enriched  by 
a  liberal  supply  of  manure.  Make  the  drills  three  feet 
apart,  and  scatter  the  seed  about  six  inches  apart  in  the 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND   CULTURE.  307 

drill,  and  cover  them  an  inch  deep.  Thin  out  the  plants 
to  twenty  inches  apart.  Keep  the  ground  thoroughly 
tilled  and  free  from  weeds,  that  the  plants  may  make  a 
luxuriant  growth.  In  five  or  six  weeks  the  young  leaves 
will  be  ready  to  be  picked.  Preserve  the  leading  shoot, 
and  the  branches  will  continue  long  in  bearing,  as  in 
autumn  they  survive  a  pretty  heavy  frost.  Twenty 
plants  are  enough  for  a  family.  Seed  may  be  gathered  as 
it  ripens,  dried  carefully  in  the  shade,  and  put  up  in  paper 


It  is  used  as  a  substitute  in  summer  for  the  common 
spinach.  Swiss  Chard  is  a  better  one.  The  seed  vessels 
make  a  good  pickle. 


SQUASH.— (OucurUta  Melopepo.) 

The  squash  is  a  tender  trailing  annual,  and  was  first 
brought  to  England  in  1597.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Levant. 
It  is  a  much  esteemed  garden  vegetable,  and  in  some  of 
its  varieties  can  be  had  for  the  table  the  greater  part  of 
the  year. 

Summer  Squashes.— The  best  are  the  Early  Bush  Scol- 
lop, which  is  small,  and  either  white  or  golden  yellow  in  its 
two  subvarieties ;  both  good;  the  Summer  Crookneck, 
also  a  bush  variety ;  bright  yellow,  covered  with  warts ; 
Bergen,  small,  bell-shaped,  striped  dark  green  and  white ; 
used  green,  like  the  preceding,  and  when  the  shell  hard- 
ens, becomes  still  better,  being  very  dry  and  rich,  and 
keeps  well. 

Winter  Squashes  are  of  many  varieties ;  as  Valparaiso, 
or  Cocoanut,  as  it  is  named  from  its  shape.  It  has  a 
rough,  grayish  coat,  flesh  deep  orange,  very  dry,  and 
sugary ;  it  is  the  best  of  all,  but  a  great  runner,  and  bears 


303  GABDEjSJTNG   FOE   TIIE    SOUTH. 

but  moderately.  Boston  Marrow,  Bell,  Canada  Crook- 
neck,  and  Hubbard,  are  all  good  winter  sorts.  The  last 
is  a  new  variety  of  great  excellence,  related  to  the  Valpa- 
raiso. The  Cashaw  Pumpkin  is  a  good  substitute  for  the 
winter  squash. 

Vegetable  Marrow  Squashes  are  in  England  the  favor- 
ite sort,  and  used  from  the  time  the  blossom  drops  until 
matured.  The  Custard  Vegetable  Marrow  is  now  the 
kind  preferred  there.  From  a  single  trial  they  do  not  ap- 
pear productive. 

Culture. — The  squash  is  planted  at  the  same  time  as  the 
cucumber  and  melon.  Put  six  or  eight  seeds  in  a  hill, 
and  thin  out  to  two  or  three  when  they  get  up.  The 
bush  squashes  should  be  five  feet  apart,  and  the  winter  vari- 
eties at  least  ten.  For  cultivation,  see  Cucumber.  Squashes 
are  much  better  grown  in  rich  soil ;  do  not  plant  them 
near  the  cucumber  or  melon,  if  you  would  not  have  worth- 
less seed  from  all  the  plants  in  their  vicinity.  Gather 
summer  kinds  while  the  finger  nail  can  easily  penetrate 
the  rind ;  they  must  be  plucked  as  soon  as  fit  for  use,  or 
the  fruitf ulness  of  the  vines  will  be  much  impaired.  To 
keep  winter  squashes,  they  must  be  put  away  in  a  cool, 
dry  place,  free  from  frost. 

The  Squash  Bug,  Ooreus  tristis.  This  insect  is  of  a 
rusty  black  color  above,  and  yellowish  beneath  ;  of  a  foul, 
disgusting  smell;  of  quick  motions.  It  eats  the  leaf  and 
stem,  and  at  length  destroys  the  stem.  It  lays  its  dark 
colored  eggs  in  patches  upon  the  under  surface  of  the  leaf, 
to  which  they  adhere  strongly.  As  soon  as  hatched,  the 
young  enemy  in  little  swarms  commence  feeding  upon  the 
leaf,  upon  its  under  side,  which  soon  withers.  They  are 
quite  timid,  but  may  be  found  in  the  cool  of  the  day  con- 
cealed under  the  leaves  or  clods  of  earth,  and  should  be 
sought  for  while  the  vines  are  young,  daily,  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  crushed  before  they  become  numerous.  (Harris.) 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  309 

Another  squash  bug  is  the  Coccinnella  borealis,  a 
species  of  Ladybird,  which  with  its  larva  feed  upon  and 
destroy  the  leaves.  Most  of  the  ladybirds  are  beneficial 
in  freeing  plants  of  Aphides,  but  this  is  an  exception. 
The  color  is  dull  yellow,  and  upon  the  thorax  and  wing 
cases  are  nineteen  black  spots,  counting  as  two  those 
divided  by  the  suture  of  the  wing.  The  eggs  are  laid  in 
groups  upon  the  under  surface  of  the  leaf.  Successive 
broods  are  hatched  through  the  summer.  The  remedy  is 
hand  picking. 

The  squash  vine  borer  is  the  larva  of  ^Egeria  cucurbitce, 
an  orange-colored  moth,  with  black  spots,  which  deposits 
its  eggs  near  the  roots  of  cucumber  and  squash  vines, 
often  several  upon  a  single  plant.  When  hatched,  the 
larva  is  a  small,  white  worm  that  bores  into  the  substance 
of  the  vine  and  soon  destroys  it.  It  is  very  troublesome 
in  Southern  gardens.  A  few  ashes  placed  about  the 
roots  of  the  vine  are  said  to  be  the  best  remedy. 

Use. — The  squash  is  a  very  wholesome  and  tolerably 
nutritious  vegetable,  prepared  for  the  table  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  turnip  for  which  it  is  an  excellent  sub- 
stitute to  eat  with  fresh  meat.  To  be  fit  for  use  after 
being  boiled  tender,  the  summer  sorts  must  be  squeezed 
between  two  plates,  for  when  full  of  water,  as  often 
served,  it  is  not  fit  to  be  eaten.  The  winter  squashes 
should  be  boiled  dry ;  they  make  a  good  pie,  like  the 
pumpkin  and  the  sweet  potato. 


TANYAH.— (Oalocasia  esculenta.) 

This  is  a  large-leaved,  tuberous  rooted,  perennial  plant 
of  the  Arum  family,  much  cultivated  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  and  forms  the  principal  ingredient  in  the  favorite 
poi,  a  food  much  in  use  there,  and  remarkable  for  its  fat- 
tening properties. 


310  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

It  is  cultivated  somewhat  near  Charleston,  and  along 
the  coast,  and  is  perfectly  hardy  here,  and  probably  near 
the  coast  as  far  north  as  Washington.  The  foliage  is 
quite  striking. 

Culture. — It  may  be  planted  in  any  rich,  well-drained, 
low  spot.  Select  the  eyes  or  buds,  and  plant  like  the 
potato.  The  small  roots  are  the  ones  generally  reserved 
for  this  purpose.  There  are  two  distinct  kinds,  named 
from  their  color  the  pink  and  the  blue,  of  which  the  latter 
is  thought  by  many  to  be  the  most  farinaceous,  but  others 
prefer  the  taste  of  the  pink  variety.  The  sets  may  be 
put  out  in  March  or  early  in  April,  and  the  most  attention 
required  is  to  keep  the  soil  clean  and  mellow.  The  rows 
may  be  three  or  four  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  two  feet  in 
the  rows.  It  comes  to  maturity  the  autumn  after  plant- 
ing, and  may  remain  in  the  bed  until  wanted.  It  keeps 
better  than  either  the  sweet  or  Irish  potato.  It  is  pre- 
pared for  the  table  by  simple  roasting,  and  eaten  with 
salt.  By  many  they  are  much  liked,  as  they  are  quite 
farinaceous. 


TARRAGON,— (Artemisia  Dracunculus.) 

This  is  a  perennial  plant,  of  the  same  genus  as  the 
•wormwood,  but  its  fragrant  smell  and  warm  aromatic 
taste  have  introduced  it  into  the  kitchen  garden. 

Culture. — This  plant  does  not  require  a  rich  soil,  and  as 
it  is  a  native  of  a  cold  climate,  it  is  best  to  give  it  a  bleak 
winter  exposure.  Poor,  dry  earth  is  necessary  to  perfect 
its  flavor.  Tarragon  is  propagated  by  seed,  slips,  cut- 
tings and  parting  of  the  root.  The  latter  is  the  easiest 
mode  and  most  generally  practiced.  It  may  be  planted 
in  early  spring,  the  plants  being  ten  inches  apart.  Give 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION    AND   CULTURE.  311 

a  little  water  in  dry  weather  until  they  are  rooted.  As 
they  run  up,  if  seed  is  not  desired,  cut  down  the  seed 
stalks  and  they  will  shoot  up  afresh.  Keep  them  free 
from  weeds.  It  has  been  cultivated  here  with  success. 
It  must  be  taken  up,  divided,  and  reset  every  year,  or  it 
will  die  out. 

Use. — Tarragon  is  used  in  salads,  to  correct  the  cold- 
ness of  other  herbs.  Its  leaves  are  excellent  pickled,  or 
for  flavoring  vinegar  to  be  used  for  fish  sauces,  or  with 
horse-radish  for  beefsteaks. 


TH  YME.— ( Thymus.) 

Common  Thyme,  Thymus  vulgar is •,  is  a  low,  evergreen 
undershrub,  a  native  of  Spain,  Italy,  and  Greece,  culti- 
vated in  English  gardens  since  1548,  and  probably  earlier. 
Its  name,  Thymus,  comes  from  the  Greek  word  for  cour- 
age ;  as  it  was  thought  to  renew  the  strength  and  spirits. 
It  has  a  pleasant,  aromatic  smell,  and  a  warm,  pungent 
taste.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  broad  and  narrow 
leaved. 

Lemon  ThyniCj  Thymus  citriodorus,  is  also  a  low,  trail- 
ing, evergreen  shrub,  seldom  rising  above  four  or  six 
inches  high.  It  has  a  strong  smell  of  lemons,  which  gives 
it  its  common  name,  and  is  preferred  for  some  dishes. 

Culture. — Thyme  is  raised  by  seed,  cuttings,  and  divid- 
ing the  roots.  A  light,  dry  soil  is  suitable.  The  root 
slips  may  be  set  out^  in  rows  six  inches  apart  each  way. 
The  seeds  are  very  small,  and  should  be  sown  in  moist 
weather  in  spring,  the  soil  for  their  reception  made  very 
fine,  and  the  seed  raked  in  lightly  with  the  back  of  the 
rake.  Press  the  surface  gently  with  a  board  or  the  back 
of  a  spade.  Make  the  drills  six  inches  apart  and  very 


312  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

shallow.  Water  lightly  in  hot,  dry  weather,  both  before 
and  after  the  plants  are  up.  Let  them  remain  in  the  drills, 
or  transplant  when  two  or  three  inches  high.  Thin  the 
plants  to  six  inches  apart,  and  keep  free  from  weeds  while 
the  plants  are  small. 

Thyme  is  often  used  as  an  edging.  A  very  small  plot 
is  enough  for  any  family. 

For  Seed. — It  bears  seed  abundantly,  if  permitted.  The 
spikes  should  be  gathered  as  it  ripens,  before  it  is  washed 
out  by  the  rain.  Dry  upon  a  cloth  in  the  shade. 

Use. — The  young  leaves  and  tops  are  used  in  soups, 
stuffings,  and  sauces.  They  can  be  dried  and  preserved 
like  other  herbs ;  but  in  mild  climates  this  is  unnecessary, 
as  it  is  evergreen. 


TOMATO. — (Lycopersicum  esculentum.) 

The  Tomato  is  a  tender  annual,  a  native  of  South 
America,  and  some  say  of  Mexico,  and  of  the  same  natural 
family  with  the  Egg-plant  and  Irish  potato.  It  was  intro- 
duced into  England  in  1596,  and  was  long  cultivated  in 
the  flower  garden  for  its  beautiful  red  and  yellow  fruit, 
which  was  not  used  for  food,  but  by  many  considered  pois- 
onous. "As  an  esculent  plant,  in  1828-9,"  says  Buist, 
speaking  of  its  use  in  this  country,  "  it  was  almost  detested ; 
in  ten  years  more,  every  variety  of  pill  and  panacea  was 
4  extract  of  tomato.' "  It  is  now  one  of  the  most  popular 
vegetables  in  cultivation,  and  springs  up  self-sown  in  all 
our  gardens.  There  are  many  varieties. 

The  Large  Red  is  one  of  the  best.  It  is  patty-pan- 
shaped,  and  extra  large  specimens  are  sometimes  six  inches 
in  diameter,  or  as  large  as  a  common  bush  squash.  One 
of  the  best  flavored. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND    CULTURE.  318 

Gallagher's  Mammoth  is  a  variety  of  this,  of  larger  size, 
having  few  seeds,  and  of  good  flavor. 

Large  Yellow  resembles  Large  Red  in  form,  but  is  of  a 
somewhat  different  flavor  and  is'a  good  sort  for  preserves. 

Large  Smooth  Red  is  a  new  variety  of  the  Large  Red, 
equally  well  flavored,  and  a  favorite  in  the  kitchen,  as  it 
grows  regular  and  free  from  knobs. 

Fejee  Island,  a  rather  later  variety  with  more  solid  flesh, 
said  to  be  a  new  kind  from  the  Fejee  Islands,  came  to  this 
place  from  Naples  twenty  years  ago  and  is  a  good  sort. 

Cherry  is  excellent  for  pickling.  It  is  named  from  its 
size  and  shape. 

Pear-shaped  is  of  a  pink  color,  firm  flesh,  and  few  seeds. 
Much  used  for  pickling,  and  excellent  for  the  table. 

Early  Red  is  a  new  French  subvariety  of  Large  Red, 
at  least  ten  days  earlier. 

The  tomato  likes  a  light,  loamy  soil,  of  moderate  fertility, 
as  in  a  soil  too  rich  it  runs  to  vine,  and  the  fruit  ripens 
late.  For  the  early  crop,  sow  at  the  first  indications  of 
spring,  some  six  weeks  before  corn  planting  time  (early  in 
February  here  and  at  the  North  in  March)  in  a  hot  bed,  or 
in  boxes  in  the  house. 

Sow  in  drills  eight  inches  apart,  and  when  the  plants 
come  up,  thin  to  two  or  three  inches,  and  transplant  into 
the  open  ground  when  the  frosts  are  over.  While  in  the 
seed  bed  give  air  at  all  times  when  there  is  no  danger  of 
frost.*  It  is  better  to  sow  quite  early  and  transplant  when 
ready  into  small  pots,  and  a  couple  of  weeks  after,  when 
the*se  are  full  of  roots,  shift  them  into  five-inch  pots,  in 
which  they  may  be  kept  until  they  blossom,  if  a  late 
spring  or  apprehension  of  frost  renders  it  necessary. 
Transfer  them  with  the  ball  to  the  hill  in  the  open  ground 
in  a  cloudy,  damp  time,  in  fresh-dug  soil.  If  the  weather 
is  dry  they  may  be  planted,  the  fresh  soil  pressed  closely 
about  the  ball,  a  plentiful  watering  given,  finishing  with  a 
14 


314  GABDENING   FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

covering  of  light  soil  to  keep  the  ground  from  baking,  and 
shade  during  the  day  until  established.  The  Early  Red 
should  be  selected  for  the  first  crop,  and  when  planted  out 
a  warm  exposure  chosen.  Let  the  rows  be  about  three  feet 
apart  and  the  plants  eighteen  inches  in  the  row.  In  poor 
soil  less  room  is  required  between  the  rows.  As  they  are 
very  tender,  do  not  plant  out  until  danger  of  frost  is  over, 
and  protect  them  by  large  flower  pots  or  boxes,  if  there  is 
any  fear  of  frost.  For  a  succession,  sow  in  the  open  ground 
about  corn  planting  time  in  a  rich,  sheltered  spot,  water 
with  tepid  water  in  dry  weather,  shield  them  with  a  mat 
or  box  in  cold  nights,  and  thin  the  plants  while  young  to 
three  inches,  and  carefully  transplant  these,  when  ready, 
with  a  trowel  and  ball  into  their  final  situation.  Another 
sowing  or  two  should  be  made,  to  keep  up  a  full  succession 
in  the  long  summer  of  our  Gulf  States.  The  Large 
Smooth  Red  is  a  good  sort  for  the  main  crop. 

As  soon  as  the  lower  fruit  is  half  grown,  cut  off  the 
npper  part  of  the  plant  above  the  larger  fruit,  that  its 
growth  may  be  stopped,  and  the  fruit  below  will  be  larger, 
and  several  days  earlier.  Ninety  per  cent  of  the  fruit 
grows  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  ground,  but  a  large 
portion  of  the  vines  grow  above  that  height.  Tomatoes 
like  the  soil  about  them  well  hoed,  and  free  from  weeds. 
Plants  grown  in  the  open  air  are  more  abundant  in  bear- 
ing than  those  forwarded  under  glass.  In  well-trenched 
ground,  they  will  continue  bearing  until  frost. 

To  Save  Seed. — Select  the  largest  early  fruit,  mash  with 
the  hand,  and  wash  the  seed  from  the  pulp ;  spread  out 
upon  plates  and  dry  in  the  shade ;  when  dry,  put  thein  in 
paper  bags. 

Use. — Few  vegetables  are  prepared  in  as  many  different 
forms  as  the  tomato.  It  is  pickled  when  green,  and  pre- 
served when  ripe ;  it  is  eaten  raw  or  cooked ;  it  enters  into 
soups  and  sauces,  and  is  prepared  in  catsups,  marmalades, 
and  omelets.  The  French,  and  the  Italians,  near  Rome 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  315 

and  Naples,  raised  them  by  the  acre,  long  before  used  by 
other  nations,  and,  it  is  said,  prepared  them  in  an  almost 
infinite  variety  of  ways.  There  are  very  few  preparations 
into  which  it  enters,  which  are  not  improved  by  the  addi- 
tion. A  good  supply  should  be  prepared  when  in  season 
by  stewing  and  putting  up  in  patent  cans  for  winter  use. 
On  account  of  the  acid  of  the  fruit,  earthen  or  glass  jars 
are  best. 


TURNIP.— (Brassica  rapa.) 

The  turnip  is  a-  hardy  biennial  of  the  cabbage  tribe,  a 
native  of  many  parts  of  Europe,  and  has  been  cultivated 
for  centuries.  It  was  held  in  considerable  estimation  by 
the  Romans.  Cato  is  the  first  writer  that  mentions  it. 
"  Sow  it,"  says  he,  "  after  an  autumnal  shower,  in  a  place 
that  is  well  manured,  or  in  a  rich  soil."  Columella  recom- 
mends its  cultivation,  "  because  that  portion  of  the  crop 
not  wished  for  the  table  will  be  greedily  eaten  by  the 
farm  cattle."  It  is  cultivated  in  all  temperate  climes,  and 
is  now  extensively  grown  as  a  field  crop  in  England,  for 
feeding  stock,  and  is  considerably  raised  for  the  same  pur- 
pose in  our  Northern  States. 

Early  White  Dutch  (Strap-leaved).— A  round,  flat  tur- 
nip, with  short,  narrow,  strap-like  leaves ;  is  the  earliest 
kind. 

Early  Red- Top  Dutch  (Strap-leaved,)  differs  from  the 
preceding  only  in  the  red  color  of  the  portion  of  the  roots 
which  is  above  ground.  Both  of  these,  in  a  moist,  cool 
fall,  are  fit  for  the  table  six  weeks  after  sowing. 

The  above  are  best  for  spring  sowing,  and  also  very 
useful  for  the  autumn  crop. 

White  Globe  is  a  beautifully  shaped,  globular  root,  of 
the  largest  size. 


316  GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

White  Norfolk  is  another  large  field  sort ;  both  are  good 
varieties,  and  much  cultivated  South,  both  for  their  roots 
and  for  winter  greens. 

Yellow  Dutch  is  very  hardy,  more  so  than  the  forego- 
ing. Sweet,  fine-flavored,  and  very  nutritious.  It  is  of  a 
yellow  color,  round,  handsome  shape,  firm  and  sweet,  and 
keeps  well. 

Yellow  Aherdeen  is  perhaps  the  same  as  the  last. 

Ruta  Baga,  .OF  Swedes  Turnip  is  a  different  variety, 
(JBrassica  campestris  var.  ruta  baga^)  of  which  the  foliage 
differs  from  those  preceding  in  being  smooth  and  covered 
with  glaucous  bloom.  There  are  several  varieties,  all 
hardy  and  good. 

Pu-rple-topped  Swede, — The  roots  are  very  large,  of  an 
oval,  tapering  form,  and  the  greater  their  size,  the  sweeter 
and  more  nourishing  they  become.  It  keeps  until  spring. 

Skirving's  Improved  Swede, — This  is  of  still  better 
form  than  the  foregoing,  the  leaves  not  so  large,  less 
smooth,  and  free  from  bloom ;  flesh  fine,  yellow,  and  very 
nutritious. 

Sweet  German  Turnip, — Called  also  White  Ruta  Ba- 
ga  and  Cabbage  Turnip,  (Brassica  campestris  JVapa 
Brassica,  D.  (7.,)  resembles  the  last  two,  but  the  flesh  is 
white,  very  sweet,  with  somewhat  of  the  cabbage  flavor, 
and  is  a  good  keeper.  Roots  large,  but  not  as  regular  as 
the  preceding. 

It  is  found  that  the  most  important  fertilizer  is  phos- 
phate of  lime.  Either  bone  dust,  superphosphate  of  lime, 
or  guano,  all  rich  in  phosphoric  acid,  seems  to  supply 
everything  this  crop  requires.  Manured  with  either  of 
these,  it  is  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  insects  and  casualties. 
For  the  spring  crop  guano  or  manures  rich  in  ammonia 
are  essential,  but  for  the  autumn  crop  the  superphosphate 
of  lime  seems  to  act  more  beneficially  than  any  other  ap- 
plication. Manipulated  guano,  honestly  prepared,  is  valu- 


VEGETABLES DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTUKE.  317 

able  at  both  seasons,  and  still  better  is  tlie  mixture  of 
guano  and  superphosphate  of  lime. 

Culture. — Th,e  turnip  likes  a  rich,  sandy  soil.  If  raised 
on  ground  manured  by  cow-penning,  the  crop  rarely  fails, 
as  the  urine  deposited  in  the  soil  affords  the  phosphates 
so  necessary  for  this  crop,  and  in  such  places  it  is  far  less 
infested  with  insects.  Soil  fresh  from  the  woods  also  suits 
it.'  For  the  early  crop  seed  grown  north  of  the  local- 
ity in  which  it  is  sown  is  generally  preferred,  but  for  the 
main  crop,  pure  seed  from  handsome  shaped  roots  of  home 
growth  is  sufficiently  good.  In  the  more  Southern  States, 
sow  early  turnips  late  in  January,  or  through  February, 
and  farther  North  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  in  a  suitable 
condition,  and  the  danger  of  its  becoming  again  frozen  is 
over ;  that  is,  when  the  atmosphere  begins  to  feel  like 
spring.  Sow  in  drills  fifteen  inches  apart,  in  fine,  light, 
well-manured  soil,  in  drills  one  inch  deep,  covering  the 
seeds  half  an  inch,  with  fine  soil  pressed  thereon.  Keep 
the  soil  free  from  weeds.  As  soon  as  the  plants  get  a  lit- 
tle strong,  thin  out  to  two  inches,  and  finally  to  six  inches 
in  the  row.  If  the  ground  is  not  kept  light  and  well 
worked,  and  the  plants  properly  thinned,  it  is  a  mere 
waste  of  time  and  seed.  The  Early  White  Dutch  is  the 
kind  to  be  preferred.  They  do  much  better  in  drills  than 
broadcast. 

For  fall  turnips,  sow  the  Early  White  Dutch,  etc.,  any 
time  in  August  and  September,  broadcast,  or  better  in 
drills,  as  directed  above.  If  broadcast,  thin  them  to  about 
twelve  inches  apart  or  more.  If  sown  just  before  a  rain, 
they  will  come  up  at  once.  Soot,  wood  ashes,  and  un- 
slaked lime  are  all  useful  to  promote  growth  and  drive 
away  insects.  The  Red-top  is  an  excellent  variety  for  a 
general  fall  crop,  and  may  be  sown  in  October  even,  with 
success  in  the  more  Southern  States.  The  last  of  July  or 
the  first  of  August  is  the  time  for  sowing  the  main  crop 


318  GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

of  common  turnips,  while  in  Georgia  the  last  sowing  for 
greens  is  made  the  first  of  November. 

The  varieties  of  the  Ruta  Baga  and  the  Sweet  German 
are  the  best  when  planted  for  late  winter  use.  These  are 
sown  at  New  York  the  last  half  of  June,  or  early  in  July ; 
in  Georgia,  from  the  1st  to  20th  of  August.  Sow  in 
very  rich,  fresh-prepared  soil.  Let  the  drills  be  two  feet 
apart,  and  thin  the  plants  by  degrees  until  twelve  or  fif- 
teen inches  in  the  row.  As  soon  as  the  plants  appear, 
loosen  the  earth  about  them.  It  requires  a  richer  soil 
than  the  other  varieties.  Fill  any  vacancies  in  the  row 
by  transplanting;  these  plants  will  make  nearly  as 
large  roots  as  the  others.  Keep  the  soil  light  and  mellow 
by  the  use  of  the  hoe.  Large  crops  can  be  tended  with 
the  plow  and  cultivator  to  great  advantage.  In  good 
soil  the  yield  is  immense.  The  crop  may  be  drawn  as 
needed.  Some  should  be  taken  before  they  begin  to  grow 
up  to  seed  and  stored  in  a  cool  place  for  late  keeping. 

The  Turnip  Flea  Beetle,  HaUica  nemorum. — This 
is  a  small,  hard-shelled  insect,  of  a  smooth,  shining, 
brassy,  or  greenish-black  color,  about  an  eighth  of  an 
inch  in  length.  There  are  two  yellow  stripes  down  the 
wing  cases.  The  hinder  legs  are  formed  for  leaping.  It 
attacks  the  turnip,  and  other  plants  of  the  same  family, 
both  in  its  perfect  and  larva  states.  When  the  plants 
have  attained  some  size  the  injury  to  the  crop  is  slight, 
but  they  generally  take  the  young  plants  while  in  the  seed 
leaf,  and  destroy  the  crop  entirely  in  a  few  hours,  whether 
it  be  a  small  bed,  or  a  large  field. 

The  best  remedies  are  preventive,  such  as  to  roll 
the  surface  smoothly,  so  that  the  insects  may  find 
no  hiding  places  in  the  soil,  to  sow  the  seed  in  drills, 
and  in  a  fine,  rich  soil,  and  apply  superphosphate  of  lime 
upon  the  seed  in  the  drills,  to  apply  plenty  of  seed,  and 
thin  out  the  plants  when  in  the  rough  lea£  Any  thing 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION  AND  CULTURE.  319 

that  will  accelerate  growth  will  soon  place  the  crop  out 
of  danger  from,  these  little  insects.  Some  sow  radish  seed 
with  turnips,  as  the  flea  prefers  the  young  radish  leaf.  If 
they  once  attack  the  plants,  dusting  them  with  lime  ashes 
and  soot  is  sometimes  useful,  but  when  in  great  numbers, 
it  is  scarcely  possible  to  save  the  young  crop. 

To  Save  Seed. — Select  a  few  of  the  best  roots,  shorten 
the  tap-root,  and  plant  them  two  feet  apart.  Tie  the 
stalks  to  stakes,  and  keep  them  at  a  distance  from  all  other 
members  of  the  cabbage  tribe.  Seed  of  the  turnip  should 
be  changed  every  few  years,  as  the  plant  degenerates.  It 
keeps  three  years. 

Use. — This  is  one  of  those  useful  vegetables,  that  can  be 
enjoyed  with  everything.  The  tops  gathered  in  winter  and 
spring  make  the  greens  so  much  prized  by  us  all  in  early 
spring.  The  roots  are  wholesome,  though  they  disagree 
with  some  stomachs.  They  are  considerably  nutritious 
also ;  four  ounces  of  White  Dutch  containing  eighty-five 
grains  of  nutritive  matter,  and  four  ounces  of  Ruta  Baga 
containing  one  hundred  and  ten  grains  of  the  same.  Any 
over-supply  of  this  crop  may  be  fed  with  great  advantage 
to  cows  and  swine. 


WATEE 

This  is  a  hardy,  perennial,  English,  Cruciferous  plant, 
growing  in  running  streams.  There  is  but  one  variety  in 
use. 

The  Water-cress  likes  a  clear,  cool,  running  stream, 
fresh  issuing  from  a  spring,  the  nearer  its  source  the  bet- 
ter, with  the  water  about  an  inch  and  a  half  deep,  with 
a  sandy  or  gravelly  bottom.  It  must,  of  course,  at  first 
be  raised  from  seed,  which  can  be  sprinkled  at  the  source 


320  GAKDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

of  some  gravelly  stream.  If  once  established,  it  will 
soon  propagate  from  self-sown  seed.  If  the  stems  get 
choked  with  mud  and  weeds,  they  must  be  taken  up  and 
the  beds  cleared  and  replanted.  The  shoots  ought  always 
to  be  cut,  as  breaking  injures  the  plants. 

They  grow  best  in  water  not  over  two  or  thy^e  inches 
deep,  and  if  plants  can  be  got,  should  be^el  in  rows 
parallel  with  the  stream,  eighteen  inches  ajmrt. 

Use. — Water-cresses  are  generally  liked  for  their  warm, 
pungent  taste,  and  are  used  alone  or  in  mixed  salads. 


WATER  "MSWB.—iOitrullut  vulgarfa) 

This  is  a  trailing  annual,  a  native  of  the  tropics,  and  of 
the  same  natural  family  as  the  cucumber  and  musk  melon, 
but  belongs  to  a  distinct  genus.  It  is  a  largq,  succulent, 
and  refreshing,  but  not  high-flavored  fruit,  and  is  proba- 
bly the  melon  mentioned  in  the  Bible.  The  varieties  are 
numerous,  and  many  of  them  not  known  out  of  a  limited 
locality. 

Imperial o — Medium  size,  nenrly  round,  skin  pale  green 
and  white,  marbled ;  rind  thin,  flesh  solid,  light  red,  crisp," 
rich,  and  high-flavored;  seeds  small,  reddish-brown;  pro- 
ductive. 

Spanish* — Round,  very  dark  green,  thin  rind,  bright 
red  flesh,  and  black  seeds ;  rich  and  sugary.  (Buist.} 

Mountain  Sweet, — Large,  oval,  striped  with  light  and 
dark  green ;  sometimes  with  a  neck ;  flesh  light  red,  quite 
solid,  and  of  fine  flavor. 

Ice  Cream. — Large,  round,  early,  and  productive;  skin 
light  green,  rind  half  an  inch  thick;  flesh  white,  crisp  and 
sugary,  excellent ;  seeds  white. 


VEGETABLES — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  321 

Clarendon* — Large,  mottled  gray,  with  dark  green 
stripes  ;  rind  half  an  inch  thick;  flesh  scarlet,  sugary,  and 
exquisite ;  seeds  yellow,  spotted  with  black,  and  with  a 
black  stripe  about  the  edge. 

Souter  is  striped  with  pale  and  dark  green,  rind  thin, 
flesh  red,  and  of  best  quality ;  seeds  white,  with  a  russet 
stripe  about  the  edge ;  form  oblong  to  roundish. 

Ravenscroft  is  oblong,  dark  green,  faintly  striped  with 
lighter  green;  rind  thin,  flesh  red  and  sugary;  seeds 
white,  with  a  brown  stripe  about  the  edge.  The  last 
three  are  fine  varieties  of  Southern  origin.  The  others 
are  more  cultivated  in  the  North.  The  varieties  intermix 
if  grown  near  each  other.  The  Citron  watermelon  is  a 
small,  round,  pale-green,  marbled  sort,  liked  by  many  for 
preserves.  Seeds  red. 

Culture. — The  watermelon  likes  a  deep,  rich,  sandy 
soil.  Where  this  plant  is  most  successfully  cultivated,  it 
always  grows  upon  sand.  The  hills  should  be  not  less 
than  ten  or  twelve  feet  apart  in  warm  climates,  and  seven 
or  eight  at  the  North.  Do  not  plant  until  the  ground  is 
warm,  and  cultivate  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
muskmelon  and  cucumber.  It  should  not  be  grown 
within  one  hundred  feet  of  other  melons,  gourds,  etc.,  if 
you  would  gather  pure  seed.  Protect  from  insects  as 
directed  in  the  article,  "  Cucumber."  The  melon  worm 
does  not  annoy  the  watermelon. 

Use. — This  is  a  wholesome  fruit,  very  popular  in  sum- 
mer from  its  beauty  and  the  refreshing  coolness  of  its 
juice.  It  is  not  very  nutritious,  as  it  contains  ninety-five 
per  cent  of  water.  It  is  not  by  any  means  as  nourishing 
as  the  muskmelon,  and  lacks  its  peculiar  rich  flavor. 
The  outer  rind  is  used  for  preserves.  In  many  parts  of 
Europe  the  juice  is  boiled  into  a  pleasant  syrup,  or  made 
into  beer. 


14* 


MEDICINAL  HERBS. 


A  few  roots  of  the  most  useful  of  these  should  be  found 
in  every  garden.  The  medicinal  properties  of  many  of 
them  depend  upon  their  aromatic  qualities,  and  they  are 
never  so  fragrant  and  full  of  virtue  when  grown  upon 
ground  highly  manured.  Chamomile,  lavender,  rose- 
mary, rue,  wormwood,  and  many  others,  lose  much  of 
their  strength  when  forced  into  rank  growth.  Common 
garden  soil,  without  manuring,  is  quite  good  enough. 
Whenever  the  plants  begin  to  decline,  take  away  the  old 
surface  soil,  and  apply  fresh,  or  set  out  new  plants  in  fresh 
ground. 

Medicinal,  pot,  or  sweet  herbs,  as  a  general  rule,  should 
be  gathered  when  in  bloom,  and  dried  carefully  and  thor- 
oughly hi  the  shade.  When  thoroughly  dry,  press  them 
closely  into  paper  bags,  or  powder  them  finely ;  sift,  and 
keep  in  closely-stopped  bottles. 

Angelica,  (Archangelica  officinalis,)  is  an  Umbellifer- 
ous biennial  plant,  growing  from  three  to  five  feet  high, 
and  a  native  of  many  parts  of  Northern  Europe.  The 
whole  plant  is  powerfully  aromatic.  Its  roots  have  a 
fragrant,  agreeable  odor,  and  at  first  a  sweetish  taste, 
which  soon  turns  acrid  in  the  mouth.  Its  medical  proper- 
ties are  aromatic,  stimulant,  and  gently  tonic. 

Its  stalks  were  formerly  blanched  and  eaten  like  celery, 
but  it  is  mostly  cultivated  to  make  a  sweetmeat  from 
them  when  young  and  tender.  They  are  also  candied  by 
the  confectioners. 

Sow  the  seed  one  foot  apart  in  August  or  September, 
and  when  they  get  about  four  inches  high,  the  next  spring 
322 


MEDICINAL   HERBS.  323 

set  them  in  rows  two  feet  apart  each  way.  Though  the 
plant  is  only  a  biennial,  yet  by  cutting  down  the  seed- 
stalk  whenever  it  rises,  the  same  plant  may  be  preserved 
several  seasons.  Angelica  likes  a  moist,  cool  soil,  such  as 
the  banks  of  ditches. 

Anise,  (PimpineUa  anisum,)  is  an  Umbelliferous  an 
nual,  a  native  of  Egypt.  It  is  cultivated  for  its  seeds, 
and  its  leaves,  which  are  occasionally  used  as  a  garnish, 
and  for  seasoning  like  fennel.  The  seeds  have  a  fragrant, 
agreeable  smell,  and  a  sweetish,  pleasant  taste.  They  are 
useful  wherever  an  aromatic  stimulant  is  required. 

The  plant  grows  about  18  inches  high.  Sow  the  seed 
where  it  is  to  stand  in  spring,  in  a  dry,  light  soil,  and  thin 
out  the  plants,  if  too  thick,  to  three  or  four  inches  apart. 

Balm,  (Melissa  officmalisj)  is  a  hardy,  Labiate-flowered 
perennial,  native  of  Switzerland  and  the  south  of  France, 
but  has  long  been  cultivated  in  gardens.  It  has  an  aro- 
matic taste,  and  a  grateful,  fragrant  smell,  a  little  like 
lemons. 

It  is  a  square-stemmed  plant,  rising  about  two  feet  high. 
It  is  used  in  making  balm  tea,  a  grateful  drink  in  fevers, 
and  for  forming  a  pleasant  beverage  called  balm  wine. 
It  is  a  great  favorite  with  the  bees. 

Any  garden  soil  will  do  for  balm.  It  is  readily  propa- 
gated either  by  slips,  or  by  parting  the  roots  in  spring. 
Plant  ten  inches  apart,  giving  water  if  dry  weather. 

Bcnc,  (Sesamiim  orientalej)  is  an  annual  plant,  and 
a  native  of  Africa  and  India,  Introduced  into  this  coun- 
try by  the  negroes.  It  grows  from  three  to  six  feet  high, 
bearing  numerous  pods,  filled  with  smallish  seed.  These 
are  used  for  food  in  many  parts  of  the  world,  and  are  also 
cultivated  for  the  oil  with  which  they  abound.  It  resem- 
bles that  of  olives,  and  is  nearly  as  good.  The  leaves  abound 
in  mucilage ;  one  or  two  stirred  in  a  half  pint  of  water 
will  form  a  bland  mucilaginous  drink  very  useful  in  cholera 


324 


GARDENING   FOR   THE   SOUTH. 


infantum,  dysentery,  and  summer  complaints   generally. 

The  leaves  should 
be  freshly  gather- 
ed, and  enough 
may  be  added  to 
make  the  water 
ropy  without  af- 
fecting its  color 
or  taste. 

Sow  a  row  in 
spring,  on  the 
ed'ge  of  a  plot  or 
border,  and  thin 
out  as  the  plants 
require  room.  A 
few  plants  will 
furnish  all  the 
leaves  desired. 

Boneset,  or 
Thorough  wo  r  t , 
(Eupatoriumper- 
foliatum,)  is  a 
Composite  -  flow- 
ered perennial,  a 
native  of  most  of 
the  United  States, 
which,  if  not 
found  growing 
wild  in  the  vicini- 
ty, should  be  cul- 
tivated, as  it  is 
one  of  the  best 
herbs  in  family 
practice.  It  has  a 

76.— BENE.  faint  odor,  an  in- 

tensely bitter  taste,  and  is  slightly  astringent.     Its  mecli- 


MEDICINAL   HERBS.  325 

cinal  virtues  are  diaphoretic,  tonic,  and  in  larger  doses, 
emetic  and  aperient.  It  is  principally  used  as  a  diaphoret- 
ic in  colds,  catarrhs,  and  rheumatism,  in  intermittent, 
remittent,  and  inflammatory  diseases,  or  given  cold  as  a 
tonic  in  dyspepsia. 

Boneset  can  be  raised  by  transplanting  the  roots,  or 
sowing  the  seed  in  spring. 

Borage,  (JSorrago  offieinalis^  is  an  annual  European 
plant.  The  tender  tops,  young  leaves,  and  flowers,  are 
sometimes  used  as  a  salad  by  the  French,  and  boiled  by 
the  Italians. 

Medicinally  it  was  formerly  thought  endowed  with  very 
great  virtues,  and  numbered  among  the  four  cordial 
flowers. 

Old  Gerard  says :  "  Those  of  our  time  do  use  the  flowers 
in  salads,  and  to  exhilarate  and  to  make  the  minde  glad. 
There  be  many  things  made  of  them  used  for  the  comfort 
of  the  heart,  to  drive  away  sorrow  and  increase  the  joy 
of  the  minde."  The  plant  is  not  much  used  now  except 
as  an  ingredient  in  the  drink  called  "  a  cool  tankard," 
made  of  wine,  water,  lemon-juice,  and  sugar,  to  which  a 
few  of  the  tender  leaves  seem  to  give  additional  coolness. 

Sow  early  in  spring,  broadcast,  and  a  little  thinning 
and  weeding  is  all  the  attention  that  will  be  needed. 

Caraway)  [Co/mm  Caruij)  is  a  native  of  England  and 
various  other  countries  of  Europe.  It  is  a  biennial,  Um- 
belliferous plant,  well  known  to  the  ancients.  Pliny  men- 
tions it.  Caraway  is  cultivated  for  its  aromatic  seeds, 
which  are  useful  in  confectionery,  as  in  cakes,  comfits, 
etc.,  and  the  leaves  are  sometimes  used  in  soups.  The 
roots  are  said  to  excel  those  of  the  parsnip,  being  formerly 
cooked  and  used  in  the  same  manner.  Medicinally  the 
seeds  are  used  in  an  infusion  for  flatulence.  Sow  in  au- 
tumn, or  early  spring,  and  thin  so  as  to  give  each  plant 
ten  inches  of  room.  Keep  free  from  weeds.  Plants  sown 
in  autumn  will  give  seed  the  next  season. 


326  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

<  hainoinile.  (Anthemis  nobilis,)  is  a  hardy,  Composite- 
flowered  perennial,  a  native  of  England,  cultivated  for  its 
flowers,  which  have  a  bitter,  aromatic  taste,  and  are  in 
small  doses  a  useful  tonic,  but  given  largely,  act  as  an 
emetic.  An  infusion  of  them  improves  digestion  and 
gives  tone  to  the  disordered  stomach.  The  flowers  are 
sometimes  chewed  as  a  substitute  for  tobacco. 

It  is  best  propagated  by  dividing  the  roots  in  spring. 
Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds.  Plant  nine  inches 
apart.  As  to  varieties,  the  single-flowered  has  the  most 
virtue,  but  the  double-flowered  is  most  cultivated,  from  its 
greater  productiveness. 

Clary,  (Salvia  sclareaj)  is  a  Labiate-flowered  biennial 
from  Italy.  The  leaves  of  this  plant  were  formerly  used 
in  soups,  and  its  flowers  are  now  made  use  of  in  a  fer- 
mented wine. 

The  medicinal  virtues  of  the  plant  are  cordial  and  as- 
tringent, and  it  is  used  either  in  its  fresh  or  dried  state. 
For  propagation  and  culture,  see  "  Sage,"  which  belongs 
to  the  same  genus.  Clary,  however,  must  be  yearly 
renewed  by  fresh  sowing.  Thin  the  plants  to  15  inches 
apart  each  way. 

€oriander9  (  Coriandrum  sativum,)  is  an  Umbelliferous 
annual  from  the  East,  and  also  grows  naturally  in  the 
south  of  Europe.  Some  like  its  tender  leaves  for  soups 
and  salads,  but  it  is  raised  mostly  for  its  seeds,  which 
have  a  pleasant  aromatic  taste,  though  the  smell  is  dis- 
agreeable. Coriander  seed  is  carminative  and  stomachic. 
It  is  often  used  to  disguise  the  taste  of  medicines,  but  it  is 
principally  employed  in  confectionery. 

Sow  the  seed  in  spring  or  autumn,  where  they  are  to 
remain,  in  drills  twelve  inches  apart.  Thin  the  plants  to 
four  inches,  and  keep  free  from  weeds. 

Dill,  (Anethum  graveolens,)  belongs  to  the  same  genus 
with  Fennel,  and  is  a  biennial,  Umbelliferous  plant,  a 


MEDICINAL   HERBS.  327 

native  of  Southern  Europe,  cultivated  for  its  seeds,  which 
have  an  aromatic  odor,  and  a  warm,  pungent,  and  some- 
what bitter  taste.  Medicinally,  they  are  good  for  flatu- 
lence and  colic  in  infants.  The  leaves  are  sometimes  used 
for  culinary  purposes,  and  the  seeds  are  occasionally  added 
to  pickled  cucumbers  to  heighten  the  flavor. 

Sow  the  seeds  either  early  in  the  spring,  or  soon  after 
they  are  ripe,  in  a  light  soil.  Thin,  if  crowded,  and  keep 
clean.  The  plants  should  be  8  inches  apart. 

Elecampane,  (Inula  Hdenium,)  is  a  native  of  England 
and  Japan.  It  is  a  Composite-flowered,  perennial  plant, 
cultivated  for  its  thick,  fleshy,  carrot-like  root,  which  is 
useful  as  an  aromatic  tonic  and  expectorant.  Cut  up  fine 
and  fed  with  their  corn,  the  root  is  a  great  relief  to  the 
distemper  in  horses. 

It  is  propagated  by  offsets,  or  by  parting  the  roots  in 
autumn  or  spring,  but  may  also  be  grown  from  seeds 
sown  in  the  fall.  It  likes  a  moist  soil,  and  the  plants 
should  be  fifteen  inches  apart. 

Fennel,  (Fceniculum  vulgare^)  is  a  hardy,  aromatic, 
perennial,  Umbelliferous  plant  from  the  south  of  Europe, 
growing  wild  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  and  perhaps  quite  as 
properly  belongs  to  the  culinary  as  to  the  medicinal  depart- 
ment of  the  garden.  It  has  a  finely  divided  leaf,  and  tall, 
umbel-bearing  stems,  crowned  with  small  yellow  flowers. 

Culture. — Fennel  will  grow  in  almost  any  soil.  It  is 
propagated  by  offsets,  parting  the  roots,  or  by  seed ;  all 
which  modes  may  be  successfully  practised  at  any  time  in 
autumn  or  spring. 

The  best  season,  however,  for  sowing  the  seed  is  when 
it  ripens  in  the  fall,  in  drills  twelve  inches  asunder.  The 
seed  may  be  sown  moderately  thick,  about  half  an  inch 
deep,  and  the  earth  pressed  upon  them.  "When  the  young 
plants  are  four  or  five  inches  high,  thin  them  out  to  twelve 
inches.  Those  taken  up  may  be  planted  out  to  enlarge  the 


328  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

bed.  Water  them  freely,  if  the  weather  is  dry.  Keep 
the  plants  free  from  weeds,  which  is  all  the  cultivation 
required.  If  the  seed  is  not  desired,  the  stems  should  be 
cut  down  as  often  as  they  run  up ;  for  if  allowed  to  ripen 
seed,  the  old  plants  will  last  but  a  few  years.  But  this  is 
of  little  consequence,  as  plenty  of  self-sown  seedlings  will 
be  ready  to  take  their  place.  Eight  or  ten  roots  are 
enough  for  any  family.  It  should  be  kept  within  proper 
limits,  as  it  is  much  inclined  to  spread. 

Use. — Fennel  is  a  good  deal  used,  in  continental  Europe, 
in  soups,  fish-sauces,  garnishes,  and  salads.  It  is  also  con- 
siderably used  in  England,  but  less  with  us.  The  Italians 
blanch  and  eat  the  stalks  of  one  variety  called  Finochie, 
like  celery.  A  little  fennel  seed  sometimes  gives  an  agree- 
able variety  in  flavoring  apple-sauce  and  pies.  But  it  is 
most  used  medicinally.  The  seeds  are  carminative  and 
stimulant,  and  in  an  infusion  are  excellent  for  the  flatulent 
colic  of  infants. 

Ilorchound3  (Marrubium  vulgare])  is  a  hardy,  Labiate- 
flowered,  perennial  plant,  a  native  of  most  parts  of  Europe, 
growing  in  waste  grounds,  among  rubbish,  in  warm,  dry 
situations.  It  has  a  strong  aromatic  smell,  and  a  bitter, 
pungent  taste,  which  is  permanent  in  the  mouth ;  medici- 
nally, horehound  is  a  tonic,  somewhat  stimulant  and  diu- 
retic, and,  in  large  doses,  laxative.  It  enters  largely  into 
the  composition  of  cough  syrups  and  lozenges. 

Sow  the  seeds  in  the  spring,  in  any  common  soil.  It 
scarcely  needs  any  attention.  It  may  also  be  propagated 
by  dividing  the  roots.  Plant  eighteen  inches  apart. 

Hyssop^  (Hyssopus  officinalis^  is  a  Labiate-flowered, 
hardy,  evergreen  imdershrub,  from  the  south  of  Europe, 
of  which  the  leaves  and  flower-spikes  are  the  parts  used 
medicinally.  It  has  an  aromatic  odor,  and  a  warm,  pun- 
gent taste.  It  is  stimulant  and  expectorant. 

Hyssop  is  propagated  by  slips,  or  dividing  the  roots,  or 


MEDICINAL   HERBS.  329 

by  sowing  the  seed  in  the  spring.  Transplant  the  young 
plants  to  where  they  are  to  remain,  or  you  may  thin  them 
to  six  inches  apart,  and  leave  them  in  the  seed-bed  until 
autumn  before  transplanting.  It  likes  a  dry,  sandy  soil, 
and  about  eighteen  inches  space  should  be  given  to  each 
plant. 

Lavender,  (Lavandula  veraj)  is  a  Labiate-flowered 
undershrub,  a  native  of  the  south  of  Europe,  and  hardy 
south  of  New  York.  It  is  cultivated  for  its  fragrant 
spikes  of  flowers,  which  are  used  for  the  distillation  of 
lavender-water.  Being  dried,  and  put  up  in  paper  bags, 
they  are  also  used  to  perfume  linen.  Both  flowers  and 
leaves  are.  very  aromatic.  It  has  an  agreeable  pungent 
bitterness  to  the  taste,  and  its  medicinal  properties  are 
stimulant,  cordial,  and  stomachic.  There  are  three  varie- 
ties— the  narrow-leaved,  one  sort  with  blue  and  the  other 
with  white  flowers,  and  the  broad-leaved  lavender. 

Lavender  may  be  propagated  by  seeds,  slips,  or  cuttings. 
Sow  the  seed  in  drills  ten  inches  apart,  in  spring,  and 
transplant  the  next  spring  to  a  dry  soil  of  but  medium 
richness,  and  it  will  be  more  highly  aromatic.  Give  each 
plant  about  two  feet  of  space ;  for  drying,  gather  the 
flowers  before  they  begin  to  turn  brown  at  the  lower  part 
of  the  spike. 

Liquorice,  (Grlycyrrhiza  glcibra^  is  a  Leguminous, 
hardy  perennial,  from  Southern  Europe,  the  saccharine 
juice  of  the  fleshy  root  of  which  is  useful  in  catarrhs, 
fevers,  &c.  Its  taste  is  sweet  and  mucilaginous,  and  it  is 
much  used  as  a  demulcent,  either  alone  or  combined  with 
other  substances. 

A  few  roots  of  this  plant,  when  once  started,  will  be  of 
very  little  trouble  in  the  garden.  The  plant  is  propagated 
early  in  spring,  by  cuttings  of  the  roots.  Dig  the  soil  at 
least  two  feet  deep.  Take  the  horizontal  roots  of  estab- 
lished plants,  five  or  six  inches  long.  Every  shoot  planted 


330  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

should  have  at  least  two  eyes ;  make  the  rows  three  feet 
apart,  and  the  plant  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in  the  rows, 
and  cover  the  roots  well  with  mould.  Onions,  lettuce,  or 
radishes,  may  be  grown  between  the  rows  the  first  year ; 
afterwards  keep  the  soil  free  from  weeds,  dress  the  surface 
with  manure  every  autumn,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third 
year  take  up  the  crop  as  soon  as  the  leaves  are  fully 
decayed,  and  dry  the  roots  thoroughly.  In  shallow  or 
poor  ground,  it  will  not  succeed. 

Mint)  (Mentha.) — Three  species  of  this  genus  of  Labiate 
plants  are  cultivated,  all  hardy  perennials,  natives  of 
Britain. 

Spearmint,  (Mentha  viridis])  belongs  rather  to  the 
culinary  than  the  medicinal  department  of  the  garden. 
It  is  employed  in  sauces  and  salads,  as  well  as  dried  for 
soups  in  winter.  A  few  sprigs  of  mint,  boiled  a  little 
time  with  them,  and  then  withdrawn,  are  thought  by 
some  to  improve  the  flavor  of  green  peas.  It  is  also  used 
in  preparing  mint-julep.  Its  medicinal  properties  are  aro- 
matic, stimulant,  and  stomachic.  The  leaves,  boiled  in 
milk,  are  useful  in  diarrhoea.  Its  infusion  is  good  to  pre- 
vent nausea.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  broad  and  nar- 
row leaved,  equally  good. 

Peppermint,  (M.  piperita,)  has  a  strong,  agreeable  odor, 
a  pungent,  aromatic  taste,  giving  a  sensation  of  coldness 
in  the  mouth.  Its  medical  properties  are  aromatic,  stimu- 
lant, and  stomachic.  The  essential  oil  and  essence  are  the 
forms  in  which  it  is  employed  in  medicine,  and  they  are 
also  largely  used  in  confectionery  and  cordials. 

Pennyroyal,  (M.  Pulegium^  is  more  acrid  than  the 
other  mints,  and  its  taste  and  smell  are  less  agreeable.  It 
possesses  their  warm,  pungent  flavor,  and  other  general 
properties,  but  is  not  so  good  a  stomachic.  The  American 
pennyroyal  belongs  to  a  different  genus,  Hedeoma. 


MEDICINAL  HERBS.  331 

All  these  species  require  a  tenacious  soil,  which  is  all 
the  better  if  moist,  or  even  wet. 

A  border  sheltered  from  the  midday  sun,  but  not 
entirely  secluded  from  its  influence,  is  always  to  be 
allotted  them,  as  in  such  a  situation  they  are  most  vigor- 
ous and  constant  in  production. 

They  are  readily  propagated  by  dividing  the  roots  in 
the  winter  or  spring,  or  by  cuttings  planted  in  moist  soil 
during  Summer.  Plant  in  rows  nine  inches  apart  each 
way,  and  cover  the  roots  about  two  inches  deep.  In 
autumn  clean  off  the  old  stems,  and  add  two  inches  of 
mould  to  the  raked  surface.  Through  the  summer  remove 
grass  and  weeds.  Make  new  beds  every  three  or  four 
years. 

Rosemary,  (Itosmarinua  officinalis)  is  a  Labiate-flow- 
ered, hardy,  evergreen  undershrub,  a  native  of  the  south 
of  Europe.  It  has  a  fragrant,  grateful  odor,  and  a  warm, 
aromatic,  bitter  taste.  Its  medicinal  virtues  are  tonic. 

It  was  formerly  believed  that  this  plant  gave  strength 
to  the  memory.  The  tender  tops  are  the  parts  used  in 
medicine. 

Rosemary  may  be  raised  from  seed,  or  by  planting  slips 
or  cuttings  in  the  spring  or  autumn.  Sow  the  seed  in 
drills  sixteen  inches  apart.  Transplant  the  next  spring 
or  autumn.  Two  or  three  plants  will  be  enough. 

Rue,  (Ruta  graveolens])  is  a  perennial  evergreen  under- 
shrub of  the  Rue  Family  from  the  south  of  Europe.  It 
flowers  all  summer,  and  is  very  well  known  from  its  peculiar 
strong,  unpleasant  smell.  Its  taste  is  bitter  and  pungent, 
and  the  leaves  so  acrid  as  to  blister  the  skin.  It  is  a  very 
powerful  medicinal  agent,  too  much  so  to  be  generally 
used  in  family  practice. 

Rue  is  propagated  by  seeds,  cuttings,  or  slips.  It  must 
not  have  a  very  rich  soil,  nor  be  suffered  to  run  to  seed. 
Sow  the  seed  and  cultivate  as  hyssop. 


332  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

Sage,  (Salvia  officinalis^  is  a  Labiate-flowered,  hardy 
evergreen  undershrub,  a  native  of  the  south  of  Europe. 
It  has  been  cultivated  from  the  earliest  times,  was  classed 
among  the  heroic  remedies,  and  considered  the  best  of 
medicines  for  prolonging  human  life.  An  old  Latin  adage 
is  "  Cur  moriatur  homo  cui  salvia  crescit  in  horto  ?"  "  Why 
should  a  man  die  while  sage  is  growing  in  his  garden  ?;" 
It  grows  about  two  feet  high,  with  wrinkled  ashy  green 
leaves,  and  terminal  blue  flowers  in  long  spikes.  It  has  a 
fragrant  smell,  and  a  warm,  bitterish,  aromatic  taste. 

Culture. — Sage  is  raised  from  seed,  slips,  or  cuttings. 
It  likes  a  dry,  fertile  soil.  Sow  the  seeds  on  a  gentle  hot- 
bed, or  in  the  open  ground,  early  in  spring,  in  shallow 
drills,  eight  inches  apart.  Press  the  earth  upon  the  seed, 
covering  them  not  over  half  an  inch  deep.  Thin  the 
plants,  when  well  up,  to  half  a  foot  apart,  planting  those 
taken  up  at  a  similar  distance.  Keep  the  soil  light  and 
free  from  weeds.  In  the  autumn,  or  the  next  spring,  plant 
them  out  in  rows  eighteen  inches  each  way.  Layers  and 
rooted  offsets  may  be  set  out  at  once  at  this  distance. 
Cuttings  of  the  outward  shoots  of  the  current  year's 
growth,  planted  out  in  a  shady  border,  in  moist  weather, 
readily  take  root ;  set  them  in  rows  six  inches  apart.  In 
autumn  or '  spring,  take  them  carefully  up  and  set  them 
out  in  their  final  stations.  Trim  the  plants  to  a  round, 
bushy  head.  Gather  and  dry  the  leaves  for  winter  use, 
but  do  not  trim  the  plants  too  closely,  especially  in 
autumn  or  winter. 

Use. — The  leaves  are  used  for  seasoning  stuffings, 
sauces,  and  many  kinds  of  meat,  as  well  as  to  improve 
the  flavor  of  various  other  articles  of  cookery.  Medici- 
nally its  infusion  is  given  warm  as  a  sudorific,  or  mingled 
with  vinegar  and  alum  is  an  excellent  gargle  in  sore 
throat.  It  is  stated  by  Bomare,  that  it  was  exported 
formerly  by  the  Dutch  to  China,  and  it  was  so  much  pre- 


MEDICINAL    HERBS.  383 

ferred  by  the  Chinese  to  their  own  tea,  that  they  willingly 
exchanged  two  boxes  of  it  for  one  of  sage. 

Southernwood,  (Artemisia  Abrotanum,)  is  a  hardy  ever- 
green, with  fragrant,  finely-divided  leaves,  nearly  allied  to 
wormwood,  both  being  species  of  the  same  genus,  and 
similar  as  to  medical  properties.  Like  that,  it  has  a  grate- 
ful odor,  but  it  is  not  much  used  in  medicine  from  its 
nauseous  taste.  As  an  ornamental  evergreen,  it  is  worth 
cultivating. 

For  culture,  see  "  Hyssop." 

Tansy,  (Tanacetum  vulgare,)  is  a  hardy,  Composite- 
flowered  perennial,  a  native  of  Europe,  long  cultivated 
in  gardens.  It  was  formerly  used  to  give  flavor  to  pud- 
dings and  omelets. 

Its  medicinal  properties  are  tonic  and  stomachic.  It  is 
also  a  vermifuge.  It  was  formerly  of  very  general  use  in 
the  preparation  of  alcoholic  bitters. 

Divide  the  roots,  and  set  out  a  few  slips  in  autumn  or 
spring.  After  it  is  well  rooted,  be  careful  you  do  not  get 
too  much  of  it.  There  are  two  varieties,  the  common 
and  the  curled. 

Wormwood,  (Artemisia  Absinthium,)  is  a  native  of 
Europe,  and  is  a  hardy,  Composite-flowered  perennial, 
cultivated  much  in  gardens.  Its  odor  is  strong  and  fra- 
grant, and  its  taste  aromatic,  but  intensely  bitter.  It  is 
cultivated  for  the  tops  or  extremities  of  the  branches.  Its 
properties  are  tonic  and  diuretic,  and  it  is  a  vermifuge. 

Wormwood  likes  a  calcareous  soil,  and  may  be  raised 
either  by  cuttings,  seeds,  or  dividing  the  roots.  Culti- 
vated same  as  hyssop,  the  roots  being  eighteen  inches  apart. 
A  dry,  poor  soil  is  necessary  to  bring  out  the*  peculiar 
virtues  of  this  plant. 

Roman  Wormwood,  (A.  Pontica,)  is  less  nauseous  than 
the  preceding,  and  generally  preferred. 


334  GAEDEN1NG  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

FRUITS.— VARIETIES  AND  CULTURE. 

ALMOND. — (Amygdalw  communis.) 

The  almond  is  a  native  of  Asia  and  northern  Africa. 
It  is  a  tree  of  medium  size,  nearly  allied  to  the  peach  in 
habit  and  general  appearance.  The  leaves  are  similar  to 
the  peach,  having  glands  like  some  varieties  of  the  latter 
fruit,  and  flowers  of  similar  shape,  but  much  larger  and 
more  ornamental,  varying  in  color  from  pure  white  to  a 
fine  blush.  The  chief  difference  is  in  the  fruit,  the  stone 
of  the  almond  being  flatter,  not  so  hard,  and  covered  with 
a  woolly  skin  that  opens  spontaneously  when  the  kernel 
is  ripe. 

In  southern  Europe,  the  almond  is  much  cultivated,  and 
large  quantities  of  nuts  exported.  The  kernel  is  the  part 
used ;  the  sweet  varieties,  whether  green  or  dry,  form  a  very 
nutritious  article  of  food,  and  a  most  agreeable  addition 
to  the  dessert.  Almonds  are  used  in  confectionery,  cook- 
ing, perfumery,  and  medicine.  The  bitter  almond  is  the 
kind  used  in  perfumery  and  flavoring;  it  contains  prussic 
acid,  which,  though  a  violent  poison,  is  not  thought  in- 
jurious in  the  small  quantities  required  for  these  purposes. 

Cultivation. — A  warm,  dry  soil  is  most  suitable  for  the 
almond,  which  is  cultivated  exactly  like  the  peach,  and  is 
subject  to  the  same  diseases ;  it  may  be  budded  on  the 
almond,  peach,  or  plum  stock.  The  varieties  are  : 

Common  Almond.  —  Nuts  one  and  one-fourth  inch 
long,  hard,  smooth,  compressed,  and  pointed,  with  a  ker- 
nel of  agreeable  flavor.  The  hardiest  and  most  produc- 
tive variety,  and  is  the  common  hard-shelled  almond  of 
the  shops ;  flowers  open  before  the  leaves  appear. 


FKUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  335 

Long  Hard-Shelled* — Nuts  of  the  same  size  as  the 
former,  with  a  larger  kernel  and  better  flavor ;  flowers 
large  and  rose-colored.  The  tree  is  quite  ornamental, 
when  in  bloom. 

Ladies'  Thin-Shelled.— The  soft-shelled  almonds  of  the 
shops ;  flowers  are  of  a  deeper  color  than  the  foregoing 
variety.  Nut  oval,  one-sided,  pointed,  with  a  porous, 
light-colored  shell,  so  tender  that  it  may  be  crushed  with 
the  fingers.  Kernel  sweet,  rich,  and  highly  esteemed. 

Bitter  Almonds* — Are  of  several  varieties,  differing  in 
the  hardness  of  the  shell,  closely  resembling  the  others, 
except  in  the  bitter  kernel ;  blossoms  pale  pink ;  leaves 
larger,  and  of  a  darker  green  than  the  other  varieties. 


THE  APPLE.— (Pyrus  Mdlwt.) 

The  apple  probably  originated  from  the  European  Crab, 
but  centuries  of  cultivation  and  reproduction  from  seeds 
of  new  and  improved  varieties  have  brought  it  to  its 
present  state  of  perfection  in  quality,  size,  and  beauty. 

Where  the  apple  can  be  grown  and  preserved  in  perfec- 
tion, it  is  the  most  useful  of  fruits.  Varieties  can  be 
selected  which  will  afford  a  succession  through  the  entire 
year. 

They  can  be  thus  preserved  in  our  own  mountain  region, 
from  which  excellent  fruit  is  brought  as  late  as  the  month 
of  May.  The  best  varieties  are  excellent  dessert  fruits. 
For  the  table,  they  are  prepared  in  many  ways,  as  baking, 
stewing,  in  pies,  tarts,  puddings,  dumplings,  jellies,  and 
preserves.  They  are  also  dried  for  winter  use. 

The  best  mode  of  propagating  the  apple  is  by  budding 
or  grafting  on  seedling  stocks.  For  the  raising  of  stocks, 


336  GAKDENZtfG  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

the  seed  should  be  sown  in  the  fall,  or  early  winter,  in  good 
soil,  in  rows  eighteen  inches  apart ;  transplant  them  in  rows 
four  feet  apart,  and  one  foot  apart  in  the  row.  If  any  of 
the  plants  become  infested  with  woolly  aphis,  wash  them 
with  tobacco  water.  The  young  grafted  trees  should  be 
planted  in  the  orchard  when  one  or  two  years  old,  at  dis- 
tances of  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet  apart. 

Analysis  shows  that  one-half  the  ash  of  the  bark  of  the 
apple,  and  over  one-sixth  of  that  of  the  sap-wood,  is  lime. 

When  this  mineral  is  not  abundant  in  the  soil,  the  tree 
cannot  be  kept  healthy.  Swamp  muck  or  leaf  mould, 
composted  with  lime  and  bone-dust,  or  ashes,  are  the  best 
manures  for  the  apple  tree.  The  best  soil  for  the  apple, 
in  this  climate,  is  a  deep,  cool,  moist  loam ;  a  northern,  or 
north-west  aspect,  is  preferable  to  any  other.  One  of  the 
greatest  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  apple  is  the  sun-burning  of  the  trunk,  which  can 
be  prevented  by  training  the  trees  with  low  heads,  so  as 
to  shade  their  trunks  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

By  shortening  in  the  branches  of  the  young  trees,  when 
transplanted  into  garden  or  orchard,  they  can  be  made  to 
put  out  branches  about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  which 
is  about  the  proper  height  to  form  a  good  top.  The 
apple  tree  needs  but  little  pruning ;  removing  the  water- 
sprouts  and  such  limbs  as  cross  each  other  is  about  all 
that  is  required. 

INSECTS    INFESTING    THE    APPLE    TREE. 

Many  insects  injure  the  apple  tree  by  attacking  the  root, 
bark,  wood,  leaves  or  fruit.  Of  these  only  the  most  im- 
portant can  be  mentioned,  with  the  remark  that  many  of 
them  attack  other  fruit  trees  and  even  forest  trees. 

Apple  Root-blight,  (Pemphigus  pyri.}— Upon  the  roots 
of  the  apple,  wart-like  excrescences  are  found  growing,  in 
the  crevices  of  which  are  contained  minute,  yellow  lice, 


FRCITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  337 

often  accompanied  with  larger  winged  ones  of  a  black 
color,  having  their  bodies  covered  with  white,  cotton-like 
matter.  The  wounds  made  upon  the  root  by  these  insects 
produce  an  increased  flow  of  sap  to  the  spot  affected,  and 
these  morbid  enlargements  are  the  result.  Nursery  trees 
affected  should  have  their  roots  soaked  in  soapsuds  before 
planting.  Trees  affected  in  the  fruit  garden  may  have 
their  roots  partly  bared,  and  a  liberal  application  of  char- 
coal dust,  ashes,  or  soapsuds,  poured  upon  the  warty  ex- 
crescences. Their  presence  gives  the  affected  trees  a  yel- 
low, unhealthy  appearance. 

Woolly  A  pit  is,  or  Apple-tree  Blight,  (Eriosoma  lanigera,) 
is  found  upon  the  apple  tree.  The  female  is  a  small,  egg- 
shaped,  dull  reddish-brown  insect,  with  a  black  head,  dust- 
ed with  white  powder,  and  with  a  tuft  of  white  down 
growing  from  the  hind  part  of  the  back,  which  makes  a 
colony  of  these  insects  look  like  a  small  patch  of  white 
down.  Each  tuft  contains  a  female  and  her  young,  which 
last  are  of  a  pale  color.  In  Europe,  trees  are  often  white 
with  these  insects.  Here  they  are  generally  found  at  the 
base  of  twigs  and  suckers  from  the  trunk,  or  where  a 
wound  in  the  bark  is  healing.  Scrape  the  bark  of  the  tree, 
if  rough,  and  wash  the  tree,  filling  every  crevice  with  a 
solution  of  2  pounds  potash  to  7  quarts  of  water,  or  Har- 
ris' Composition,  2  parts  soft  soap  and  8  of  water,  with 
lime  enough  to  make  a  thick  whitewash.  Sulphuric  acid, 
mixed  with  ten  times  its  bulk  of  water,  is  also  recommend- 
ed. This  is  the  "  American  Blight "  of  English  authors. 

Apple  Bark-louse,  (Aspidiotus  conchiformis.) — An  ob- 
long, flat,  brown,  oyster-shell  shaped  scale  insect,  fixed  to 
the  smooth  bark,  which  it  sometimes  nearly  covers.  Its 
length  is  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch.  Under  each  of  these 
scales  are  from  a  dozen  to  a  hundred  minute  white  eggs, 
which  hatch  in  spring,  and  the  young  lice  disperse  them- 
selves over  the  smooth  bark,  to  which  they  attach  them- 
15 


838  GARDENING  FOB  THE   SOUTD. 

selves  and  suck  its  juices.  The  females  remain  affixed, 
and  when  dead,  their  dried  relics  protect  the  eggs  during 
the  winter. 

The  Apple-tree  Borer,  (Saperda  Uvittata.) — The  per- 
fect insect  is  a  cylindrical,  butternut-brown,  long-horned 
beetle,  hoary  white  beneath,  with  two  milk-white  stripes 
above,  running  the  whole  length  of  its  body;  length 
from  three-fifths  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch.  The  larva 
is  one  of  the  worst  enemies  of  the  fruit  grower.  It  is 
a  large,  cylindrical,  white,  footless  grub,  broadest  ante- 
riorly ;  its  head  chestnut-brown  ;  mouth  black.  The  in- 
sect appears  early  in  summer,  and  deposits  its  eggs  one  at 
a  time  upon  the  bark  near  the  earth.  As  soon  as  hatched, 
the  minute  worm  mines  through  the  bark,  feeding  upon  it 
first  and  then  upon  the  sap-wood,  and  finally  upon  the 
heart.  At  first  it  pushes  out  its  excrement  through  a  hole 
in  the  bark,  which  it  afterwards  closes.  Trees  are  so 
weakened  by  this  insect  that  they  are  easily  blown  down 
by  the  wind. 

^Remedies. — Wash  the  lower  part  of  the  trunk  with  soft 
soap  just  before  the  beetle  makes  its  appearance,  or  with 
lye  early  in  August,  to  kill  the  newly  hatched  grubs.  If 
the  presence  of  the  grub  is  manifested  in  the  trunk  by  the 
sawdust-like  castings  on  the  soil  close  to  the  tree,  insert  a 
wire  or  small  twig  into  the  hole,  pushing  it  gently  forward 
until  the  crushing  of  the  worm  is  felt  at  the  extremity. 
Piling  leached  ashes  or  lime  about  the  base  of  the  tree  is 
beneficial.  Unleached,  they  will  sometimes  kill  young 
trees.  The  various  species  of  woodpecker  destroy  thous- 
ands of  these  insects,  and  their  presence  in  the  fruit  gar- 
den should  be  encouraged.  Trees  that  branch  low  are  less 
likely  to  be  attacked  by  this  insect. 

The  Apple  B  up  rest  is,  or  Thick-legged  Apple-tree  Borer, 
\Chrysoboihris  femorata^)  is  another  quite  destructive  in- 
sect, infesting  not  only  the  apple,  but  the  peach  and  white 


FRUITS.  —  VARIETIES    AND   CULTURE.  339 

oak.  The  beetle  is  about  half  an  inch  long,  flattened; 
color  greenish-black,  with  a  brassy  polish;  two  very  dis- 
tinct metallic  spots  on  the  wing  cover  ;  eye  prominent  ; 
head  broad  ;  antenna?  short  ;  thighs  of  the  hind  legs  thick- 
ened and  dilated.  The  insects  make  their  appearance  from 
about  the  time  the  apple  blossoms,  and  continue  some 
two  months.  They  may  be  seen  running  up  and  down  the 
trunk  of  the  tree,  and  the  eggs  are  deposited  on  the  bark. 
The  larva  has  nearly  the  same  habits  as  the  common 
borer,  but  differs  greatly  in  appearance.  It  is  a  pale  yel- 
low, footless  grub,  with  its  anterior  end  enormously  large, 
round,  and  flattened.  The  remedies  are  the  same  as  for 
the  common  borer. 


The  Apple-tree  Caterpillar,  or  Tent-caterpillar, 
campa  Americana?)  is  a  black,  hairy  caterpillar,  with  white 
lines,  and  along  each  side  a  row  of  blue  spots.  They  live 
in  societies  in  large,  cobweb-like  nests  in  the  forks  of  the 
apple  and  wild  cherry,  which  they  form  when  the  tree  comes 
into  leaf.  From  these,  after  having  perhaps  deprived  the 
tree  of  all  foliage,  they  finally  disperse  and  spin  oval 
white  cocoons,  which  they  place  in  a  sheltered  situation. 
The  moth  appears  some  eight  weeks  after  the  caterpillar 
first  comes,  and  is  dull  brownish-red,  with  its  fore  wings 
crossed  by  two  white  bands  parallel  to  the  hind  margin. 
The  moth  lays  its  eggs  in  large  rings  on  the  branches  of 
trees,  which  are  hatched  the  ensuing  spring.  If  any  of 
these  clusters  of  eggs  are  found  at  pruning  time,  cut  them 
off  and  burn  them.  If  any  caterpillars  appear  in  the  spring, 
they  may  be  removed  by  a  round  bush  fastened  to  a  pole, 
which  is  put  into  the  nest,  and  with  a  few  turns,  web  and 
all  are  removed  to  be  crushed  by  the  foot.  It  is  best  to 
search  for  and  destroy  the  nest  and  its  contents  when  very 
small.  Evening  fires  in  the  orchard  will  attract  and  de- 
stroy the  moth.  This  insect  is  very  injurious. 

The  Handmaid  Moth,  \Datana  ministra,)  is  a  brown, 


340  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

hairy  moth,  which  deposits  its  eggs  in  June  upon  the  un- 
der sides  of  the  leaves.  The  caterpillars  are  very  de- 
structive to  the  foliage. 

The  Palmer  Worm,  ( Chcetochilus pometellus^)  is  another 
very  destructive  insect  in  the  orchard. 

Apple-Worm,  or  Codling  Moth.— (Garpocapsa  Pomo- 
nclla.) — The  parent  moth  drops  its  eggs  singly  on  the 
calyx  end  of  the  young  fruit,  from  which  the  young 
worm,  when  hatched,  eats  its  way  to  the  centre.  The 
worm,  when  small,  is  white,  with  a  black  head ;  the 
larger  ones  are  flesh-colored,  with  brown  heads.  The 
wings  of  the  perfect  insect  are  marked  with  large 
brown  spots,  and  shades  of  brown  and  gray.  The  worm 
gnaws  a  hole  through  the  side  of  the  apple,  and  thrusts 
out  of  it  the  refuse  of  its  food.  The  fruit  usually  falls 
prematurely,  and  the  worm  escapes  into  the  ground,  or 
if  not,  crawls  out  upon  the  tree,  hiding  in  crevices  of 
the  bark,  and,  in  either  case,  spins  its  cocoon  and  is  trans- 
formed into  a  pupa,  in  which  state  it  remains  through  the 
winter.  The  remedies  are — scraping  the  bark  in  the 
spring  and  burning  the  scrapings  ;  allowing  swine  to  run 
in  the  orchard  to  consume  the  fallen  fruit ;  or  gathering 
all  that  fall,  and  feeding  them  out  or  using  them,  destroy- 
ing the  insects  within  the  fruit  when  cut  open.  A  hay 
rope  or  cloth  wound  around  the  limbs,  or  placed  in  the 
forks  of  the  tree,  will  attract  the  worms,  which  can  be 
removed  towards  spring,  and  the  chrysalids  burned. 
Small  fires  in  the  orchard,  early  in  summer,  will  attract 
and  destroy  thousands  of  these  moths. 

Gathering  the  Fruit. — Those1  intended  for  keeping,  or 
sending  to  market,  should  be  carefully  picked  from  the 
tree,  and  handled  with  care,  to  prevent  bruising.  Those 
that  fall  of  themselves  must  be  kept  separate,  as  the  least 
bruise  will  cause  decay.  They  must  be  frequently  looked 
over,  and  every  one  the  least  decayed  must  be  removed, 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


341 


or  it  will  infect  the  others.  They  should  be  kept  at  a 
uniform  temperature,  in  .1  dry,  cool  situation.  Choice 
specimens  may  be  wrapped  in  absorbent  paper,  and  laid 
singly  on  shelves.  They  should  not  be  exposed  to  much 
frost,  and  still  less  to  extremes  of  heat.  Specimens  may 
thus  be  kept  in  good  condition  until  March.  A  fruit  room 
should  be  kept  as  cool  as  possible,  and  if  the  temperature 
could  bo  uniformly  at  32°,  iio  decay  would  take  place. 

In  selecting  varieties  for  cultivation,  preference  should, 
as  far  as  practicable,  be  given  to  those  of  southern  origin. 
Of  northern  varieties,  those  classed  as  summer  apples  suc- 
ceed very  well  here.  Some  of  the  early  autumn  varieties 
also  do  well,  and,  of  course,  are  summer  apples  with  us. 
But  the  winter  apples,  as  a  class,  arc  entirely  unsuited  to 
the  Southern  States.  The  last  ten  years  have  developed, 
with  us,  a  very  large  number  of  as  choice  and  beautiful 
varieties  of  winter  apples  as  can  be  found  anywhere,  so 
that,  at  this  time,  we  can  have  an  abundant  supply  dur- 
ing the  entire*  year. 


VARIETIES. 

Early  May. — Fruit  small,  round ;  skin  thin,  yellowish- 
green,  when  ripe, 
with  sometimes  a 
brownish-red  cheek; 
stem  short,  in  a  shal- 
low cavity ;  calyx 
small,  closed,  in  a 
shallow  basin ;  flesh 
yellowish- white ;  fla- 
vor mild  acid,  but 
rather  astringent ; 
begins  to  ripen  from 
the  10th  to  the  20th 


Fig.  77.— EARLY  MAT. 


of  May. 


342 


GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


Early  Harvest. — Fruit  medium  to  large  size,  round, 
sometimes  flattened  ;  skin  smooth,  with  a  few  white  dots, 
and  of  a  pale  yellow  color;  stalk  half  to  three-fourths  of 
an  inch  long,  slender,  in  a  moderate  cavity ;  calyx  in  a 
shallow  basin;  flesh  white,  tender,  juicy,  crisp;  flavor 
rich,  sprightly,  and  sub-acid.  One  of  the  best  northern 
varieties;  ripens  from  the  15th  to  the  20th  of  June. 

Red  June* — Fruit  medium  size,  generally  oblong  in 
form ;  skin  smooth,  green  in  the  shade,  changing  rapidly, 


Fig.  78. — RED  JUNE. 

at  maturity,  to  a  fine  dark  crimson ;  stem  half  to  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch  long,  inserted  in  a  moderate  cavity ; 
calyx  in  a  shallow  basin;  flesh  white,  tender,  mellow, 
and  digestible,  fine  grained,  slightly  acid,  moderately 


FKUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


343 


juicy,  but  not  rich.     A  fine  fruit,  and  very  productive; 
tree  very  liable  to  be  attacked  by  the  borer. 

Jillien, — Fruit  medium  size,  roundish,  tapering  some- 
what to  the  eye;  calyx  small,  in  a  narrow  basin;  stem 
short,  in  a  moderate  cavity ;  skin  thin,  yellowish- white, 
beautifully  striped  and  marbled  with  carmine ;  the  fruit 
is  of  a  delicate,  waxen  appearance ;  flesh  white,  tender, 


Fi£.  79.— JULIEN. 

juicy,  and  fine  flavored.  The  best  summer  apple  known ; 
tree  a  fine  grower  and  very  productive ;  ripens  the  middle 
of  July ;  rarely  affected  by  worms. 

Maiden's  Blush. — Fruit  medium  size,  flat,  smooth,  and 
fair ;  skin  thin,  clear  lemon  yellow,  with  a  fine  blush  to 
the  sun  ;  stalk  short,  in  a  wide,  deep  cavity  ;  calyx  closed, 
in  a  moderate  basin  ;  flesh  white,  tender,  sprightly,  sub- 
acid.  Excellent  for  drying  and  culinary  uses,  and  a  fair 
dessert  fruit.  Ripens  the  1st  of  July. 


344  GARDENING   FOE  THE    SOUTH. 

Bough. — Large  size ;  oblate  in  form ;  skin  bright  yellow, 
thickly  dotted  with  russet  specks ;  stalk  rather  long,  in  a 
deep,  narrow  cavity;  calyx  deeply  sunk;  flesh  white, 
juicy,  and  very  sweet ;  tree  a  poor  grower. 

Yellow  June. — Fruit  medium  size;  form  rather  flat^ 
stem  short,  in  a  deep  cavity ;  calyx  large  and  open,  in  a 
moderate  basin ;  skin  thin,  and  of  greenish-yellow  color ; 


Tig.  80.— YELLOW  JUNE. 

flesh  yellowish,  tender  and  juicy.  An  excellent  variety, 
and  worthy  a  place  in  every  garden.  Ripens  from  the 
15th  to  the  20th  of  June. 

Cane  Creek  Sweet. — Medium  size ;  ovate  in  form ;  skin 
pale  green;  stem  long  and  slender,  in  a  deep  cavity; 
calyx  closed,  in  a  narrow  basin  ;  flesh  white,  tender,  and 
sweet;  when  in  perfection,  juicy,  but  becomes  mealy  when 
over  ripe.  Quality  very  good.  Ripens  July  15th. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE.  345 

Toccoa. — Above  medium  size,  conical ;  skin  yellow, 
shaded  and  striped  with  red ;  flesh  yellow,  with  a  brisk 
Spitzenburgh  flavor,  moderately  juicy;  core  large.  A 
native  of  Habershain  County,  Georgia.  Ripens  August 
1st.  A  fine  fruit,  and  healthy  tree. 

Aromatic  Carolina* — Fruit  large  size ;  oblate  in  form, 
tapering  to  the  eye ;  stalk  short  and  fleshy,  in  a  deep, 


Fig.  81.— AROMATIC   CAROLINA. 

wide  cavity;  calyx  in  a  wide,  shallow  basin;  color 
green,  striped  with  dull  crimson,  and  covered  with  a  white 
bloom;  juicy,  and  of  a  fine  aromatic  flavor.  Tree  a 
vigorous  grower,  and  very  productive.  Ripens  July  15th 
to  August  1st. 

Fall  Pippin. — Fruit  very  large,  roundish,  flattened, 
obscurely  ribbed ;  stalk  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  in 
a  deep,  narrow  cavity ;  calyx  small,  in  a  deep,  narrow 
basin;  flesh  tender  and  mellow,  with  a  rich,  aromatic, 
sub-acid  flavor.  A  splendid  apple  here.  Ripens  in 
August. 

15* 


346  GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

Horse* — Size  medium  to  large;  conical  inform;  skin 
thick,  golden  yellow,  when  thoroughly  ripe,  with  a  blush 
cheek  on  the  sunny  side,  a  little  russeted  about  the  stem  ; 
stem  short,  and  rather  large,  in  a  shallow  cavity ;  calyx 
in  a  narrow  basin;  core  large  and  hollow,  seeds  few; 


Fig.  82.— HORSE. 

flesh  yellow,  firm,  coarse  grained,  with  a  rich  acid  flavor. 
Best  known  variety  for  drying.  Ripens  August  1st. 
Tree  vigorous,  and  very  productive. 

Disharoon. — Fruit  large,  nearly  round ;  skin  thin,  pale 
green ;  stem  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  slender, 
inserted  in  a  moderate  sized  cavity  ;  calyx  open,  of  com- 
mon size,  in  a  small  basin ;  flesh  yellowish,  tender,  juicy, 
and  of  an  excellent  mild,  acid,  aromatic  flavor.  Ripens 
in  September.  A  native  of  Habersham  County. 

Buff* — Fruit  of  the  largest  size,  roundish  and  somewhat 
ribbed  and  angular  ;  skin  thick,  ground  color  yellow,  but 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


347 


striped  and  shaded  with  dull  red,  marked  with  a  few 
greenish  russet  spots;  stem  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
long,  in  a  medium  cavity;  calyx  in  a  large,  irregular 


Fig.  83.— BUFF. 

basin;  flesh  yellowish,  and,  when  well  ripened,  tender 
and  good,  sometimes  indifferent.  Ripens  October  to 
March. 

II  a  her  sham  Pear  main, — Fruit  medium  sized,  and  of 
ovate  form ;  stem  short  and  slender ;  calyx  of  moderate 
size,  in  a  slight  basin ;  color  bright  crimson,  and  very  fair 
and  beautiful  in  general  appearance ;  flesh  white,  rather 
dry,  of  firm  texture,  and  of  a  brisk,  sub-acid  flavor. 
Ripens  middle  of  September.  Tree  of  upright  growth, 
and  very  symmetrical. 

MeigS. — Fruit  large ;  regular  oblong,  narrowing  to  the 
eye,  sometimes  slightly  ribbed ;  skin  yellow,  but  mostly 


348 


GARDENING    FOR   THE   SOUTH. 


Fig.  84.— MEIGS. 


Fig.  85.— BTERS. 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  349 

covered  with  a  marbling  of  red,  and  sprinkled  with 
prominent  yellow  dots;  calyx  small,  closed,  and  set  in 
a  narrow  basin ;  stalk  very  short,  thick,  in  a  deep,  narrow 
cavity ;  flesh  yellowish-white,  tender,  juicy,  with  a  rich, 
slightly  sub-acid  flavor.  A  fine  native  variety.  Treo 
thrifty,  and  less  infested  with  woolly  aphis  than  many 
others.  Ripens  in  September. 

Byers,  Buckingham,  Batchclor, — This  very  popular 
apple  is  known  by  fifteen  or  twenty  names.  Fruit  large 
to  very  large ;  a  little  oblate  in  form,  narrowing  toward 
the  eye;  skin  rich  yellow, nearly  covered  with  bright  red, 
dark  crimson  on  the  side  exposed  to  the  sun,  sprinkled 
with  white  specks ;  calyx  small,  open,  in  a  rather  deep 
basin ;  stalk  very  short  and  fleshy,  inserted  in  a  moder- 
ate sized  cavity,  which  is  russeted ;  flesh  white,  tender, 
fine  grained,  juicy  and  rich,  of  a  sub-acid  flavor.  Ripens 
in  October.  A  splendid  fruit. 

WINTER  VARIETIES. 

Walker's  Yellow, — Large,  oblong  or  oval;  skin  yel- 
low, with  a  slight  blush  to  the  sun ;  stem  short,  and  set 
in  a  deep  cavity;  calyx  large,  open,  in  a  small  basin; 
flesh  white,  of  firm  texture,  and  acid  flavor.  Raised  by 
George  Walker,  Esq.,  of  Pulaski  Co.,  Georgia,  where  it 
ripens  in  October,  and  keeps  until  February.  A  fine 
Southern  variety. 

Cllllasaga* — Large,  regular,  and  a  little  conical;  skin 
yellow,  and  nearly  covered  with  crimson ;  calyx  small,  in 
a  moderate  basin ;  stem  short  and  fleshy ;  flesh  yellow, 
tender  and  juicy,  of  a  fine  aromatic  flavor.  Ripens  in 
October.  A  first  rate  variety,  a  seedling  from  the  Horse 
Apple,  by  Miss  Ann  Bryson,  of  1ST.  C. 

Summeronr,  or  Mckajack, — Fruit  large  to  very  large, 
of  an  oblate  form;  color  a  yellow  ground,  striped  with 


350  GARDENING   FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

dark  red,  sprinkled  with  russet  specks ;  calyx  large  and 
open,  set  in  a  broad,  shallow  basin  ;  stem  short,  in  a  regu- 
lar cavity ;  flesh  juicy,  tender  and  rich,  mild  acid.  Ripens 
late,  and  keeps  well  until  April.  Originated  by  John 
Sumrnerour,  of  Burke  Co.,  North  Carolina. 

Red  Warrior. — Fruit  very  large,  nearly  globular,  but 
a  little  rhombic ;  color  yellow,  striped  and  marbled  with 
light  and  dark  red  stripes,  with  russet  specks  and  spots ; 


Fig.  86.— NICKAJACK. 

stem  medium  size,  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long ;  cavity 
medium ;  calyx  closed,  in  an  even,  deep  basin ;  flesh 
white,  moderately  acid,  with  abundant  juice.  From 
Montgomery,  Alabama.  Keeps  until  March.  A  very 
fine  winter  apple. 

Cedar  Falls. — Size  medium  to  large ;  a  little  oblate  in 
form;  deep  yellow,  nearly  covered  with  purplish-red, 
with  a  large  patch  of  russet  around  the  stem ;  flesh  yel- 
low, and  of  a  firm  texture ;  flavor  exquisitely  aromatic, 
sub-acid.  Ripens  November  1st,  and  keeps  to  February 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE.  351 

without  shrivelling.     A  native  of  Forsyth  Co.,  N".  C.     A 
No.  1  apple. 

Oconcc   Greening* — Medium  size,   and  resembles  the 


FJ£.  87.— OCONEU  GBEENIXG. 

Disharoou  a  good  deal  in  external  appearance,  but  keeps 
well  much  longer,  and  is  of  a  more  acid  flavor. 

Great  Unknown* — Size  large ;  regular  in  form ;  color  a 
waxen  yellow,  beautifully  shaded  and  marbled  with  car- 
mine ;  stem  slender,  of  medium  length ;  calyx  open,  in  a 
smooth  basin ;  flesh  yellowish,  very  tender,  juicy,  and  de- 
licious. An  early  winter  fruit,  and  every  way  worthy  of 
general  cultivation.  Origin  unknown;  found  in  the 
orchard  of  S.  McDowell,  Esq.,  in  Macon  Co.,  N.  C. 

Webb's  Winter* — Size  medium ;  form  globular ;  color, 
greenish-yellow,  shaded  with  dull  red,  with  specks  of 
russet ;  flesh  yellow,  juicy  and  tender,  brisk,  pleasant  acid 
flavor ;  stalk  long  and  slender,  in  an  acute  cavity ;  calyx 
small,  in  a  regular,  smooth,  small  basin.  Ripens  in  Novem- 
ber, and  keeps  well  and  good  until  February.  The  tree 
has  slender,  drooping  branches.  From  Mississippi. 


352 


GARDENING    FOR    THE    SOUTH. 


Chestoa,  or  Rabbit's  Head. — Size  medium ;  conical  in 
form;  color  dark  crimson  on  a  greenish  ground;  stem 
short,  slender,  in  a  moderate  cavity ;  fruit  somewhat  dis- 


Fig.  88.— CHESTOA,    Oil  UABBIT'S  HEAD. 

torted  about  the  calyx,  so  as  to  resemble  the  nose  of  a  rab- 
bit ;  a  patch  of  russet  about  the  stem.  Ripens  in  Novem- 
ber, and  keeps  until  March. 

Elarkee. — Size  medium;  form  conical;  color  dark  red 
on  a  yellow  ground ;  flesh  yellowish,  hard,  and  with  suffi- 
cient juice ;  acid  when  first  gathered,  but  becomes  of 
pleasant  flavor  in  March  and  April.  Tree  thrifty  and 
very  hardy.  Origin,  Macon  Co.,  N.  C. 

Chestatee* — Medium  to  large;  slightly  conical;  calyx 
in  a  hollow  basin  ;  stem  short  and  slender,  in  a  deep  cav- 


Fig.  89.— ELAKKEE. 


Fi£.  9<{— CHESTATEE. 


354 


GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


ity,  with  spots  and  small  specks  of  black ;  flesh  white  and 
juicy,  rather  too  acid  for  a  dessert  fruit,  but  good  for  cook- 
ing. Ripens  in  September,  and  keeps  until  December. 

CattOOgaja* — Large  to  very  large ;  irregular  and  con- 
siderably ribbed,  broadest  at  the  base ;  yellow,  mottled 
with  black  specks,  and  sprinkled  with  flecks  of  green ; 
stalk  of  medium  length,  slender ;  cavity  very  deep  ;  calyx 
in  an  open,  deep  basin  ;  flesh  yellowish,  with  a  mild,  sub- 
acid  flavor.  October  to  January. 

Camak's  Sweet, — Fruit  medium  to  large  ;  nearly  round  ; 
dull  whitish-green,  mottled  with  green  russet,  the  patches 


Fi£.  91. — CAMAK'S  SWEET. 

of  which  are  made  up  with  small  dots,  with  a  dull  blush 
cheek  toward  the  sun ;  stem  short  and  slender ;  cavity 
and  basin  broad;  calyx  closed;  flesh  firm  and  tender; 
scarcely  sweet;  juicy  and  fine  flavored;  best.  Keeps 
until  February. 

lUangum. — Size   small    to    medium ;    regular,   slightly 
conical;  stalk   small,   in   a   narrow   cavity;  color  green, 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND   CULTURE.  355 


Fig.  92.— MAXGUM. 


93.— MOUNTAIN  BELLE. 


356  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

nearly  covered  with  dark  red  stripes ;  flesh  yellow  and 
firm  ;  of  excellent  quality,  and  keeps  until  March. 

Mountain  Belle* — Size  medium  to  large;  oblate  and 
conical ;  color,  an  orange  ground,  shaded  and  striped  with 
red ;  stem  short,  in  a  wide,  deep  cavity  ;  calyx  in  a  mod- 
erate sized,  smooth  basin ;  flesh  white,  hard,  and  juicy,  a 
little  tough  in  texture,  and  of  a  fair,  sub-acid  flavor. 
Ripens  November  to  May.  Second  quality,  but  a  famous 
keeper.  A  native  of  Habersham  County,  Ga,,  found  in  an 
old  Indian  field  by  J.  Van  Buren. 

Van  Buren. — Size  medium  to  large ;  globular,  and  a 
little  conical  in  form  ;  color,  yellow  ground,  shaded  with 
dark  red ;  with  specks  and  patches  of  russet ;  stem  short 
and  fleshy,  in  a  narrow,  medium  sized  cavity ;  calyx  small, 
and  closed  in  a  shallow  basin ;  flesh  yellow,  juicy,  and 
quite  tender  for  a  good  keeper.  Ripens  in  October,  and 
keeps  until  April.  A  new  and  first  rate  winter  apple, 
found  and  named  by  Elijah  Sutton,  Esq.,  Habersham 
Co.,  Ga. 

Vahoola, — Fruit  medium  size ;  oblate  in  form ;  color, 
dull  green,  speckled  and  streaked  with  russet ;  stem  long 
and  slender ;  calyx  medium  size,  in  a  moderate  sized 
basin;  flesh  greenish- white,  juicy,  and  of  fair  quality. 
Ripens  in  September,  and  keeps  until  January  1st.  Tree 
with  slender,  wiry  limbs.  Origin,  Lumpkin  Co.,  Ga. 

List  of  varieties  recommended  for  cultivation  in  the 
Southern  States : 

SUMMER  VARIETIES.  AUTUMN  VARIETIES. 

Early  Harvest.  Buckingham. 

Red  June.  Disharoon. 

Julien.  Myers'  Nonpareil 

Aromatic  Carolina.  Autumn  Wine. 

Sweet  Bough.  Rome  Beauty. 

Red  Astrachan.  Meigs. 

Toccoa.  Chestatee. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND   CULTURE.  357 

WINTER  VARIETIES. 

Summerour.  Camak's  Sweet. 

Van  Buren.  Great  Unknown. 

Mangum.  Webb's  Winter. 

Cedar  Falls.  Mountain  Belle. 

Elarkee.  Gladney's  Red. 


APRICOT.— (Prunus  Armeniaca,) 

The  apricot  is  a  fruit  somewhat  resembling  both  the 
plum  and  the  peach.  The  tree  is  ornamental  as  well  as 
useful ;  larger  than  the  plum,  with  glossy,  heart-shaped, 
large  leaves  and  white  blossoms,  which  appear  so  early 
that  they  are  usually  killed  by  spring  frosts.  But,  as  with 
the  nectarine,  the  great  obstacle  to  its  culture  is  the  cur- 
culio,  which  may  be  treated  as  in  the  case  of  that  fruit. 
In  favorable  seasons,  the  apricot  is  very  productive.  The 
apricot  is  a  native  of  Armenia  and  other  parts  of  Central 
Asia.  In  quality  it  is  second  only  to  the  peach,  but, 
coming  earlier,  it  is  very  acceptable. 

For  jellies,  tarts,  and  preserving  in  brandy  or  sugar,  it 
is  much  esteemed,  and  is  excellent  when  dried  as  directed 
for  the  peach.  The  apricot  is  generally  budded  on  the 
plum  stock ;  it  is  sometimes  propagated  on  its  own  root, 
and  also  upon  the  peach.  The  plum  is  the  hardier  stock, 
and  makes  the  better  tree.  It  may  be  root-grafted  on  the 
Chickasaw  plum.  Those  propagated  by  seed  are  usually 
very  hardy  and  productive.  On  the  peach  stock,  the  tree 
is  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  the  borer,  and  the  fruit  is 
inferior. 

Apricots  are  apt  to  bloom  so  early  in  the  spring  that  it 
is  best  to  plant  them  in  a  northern  exposure,  where  they 
will  be  retarded  in  blooming ;  by  the  side  of  a  building, 


358  GARDENING   FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

there  is  less  danger  of  frost.  It  is  just  as  necessary  to 
shorten  in.  the  young  branches  of  the  apricot  as  those  of 
the  peach. 

The  best  soil  is  a  deep  loam ;  cultivate  and  manure  the 
same  as  the  peach.  The  hardiest  apricots  are  the  Dubois, 
Orange,  and  Breda.  The  best  varieties  are  Dubois  and 
Early. 

Dubois. — Fruit  small,  roundish  oval,  pale  orange  color, 
moderately  juicy,  sweet,  and  good ;  very  productive  and 
hardy.  Ripens  June  10th. 

Large  Early* — Fruit  medium  size,  oblong  and  com- 
pressed ;  suture  deep ;  skin  slightly  downy,  pale  orange 
in  the  shade,  ruddy  in  the  sun ;  flesh  yellow,  and  separates 
from  the  stone,  rich  and  juicy;  kernel  bitter.  Ripens 
June  10th. 

Orange* — Fruit  medium,  roundish,  with  suture  hol- 
lowed at  the  stalk;  skin  orange,  with  a  ruddy  tinge; 
flesh  dark  orange,  rather  dry,  and  somewhat  adhesive  to 
the  stone,  which  is  small  and  roundish ;  kernel  sweet;  not 
first  rate,  but  good  for  pies  and  tarts,  preserving  or  dry- 
ing;  a  good  bearer.  Ripens  June  10th. 

Peach  Apricot* — Fruit  very  large,  roundish,  sides 
compressed,  and  with  a  distinct  suture;  skin  yellow, 
but  deep  orange,  mottled  with  brown,  in  the  sun ;  flesh 
deep  yellow,  rich  and  delicious ;  the  best  variety  in  culti- 
vation ;  stone  rough.  Ripens  last  of  June. 

Breda. — Small,  roundish  ;  color  deep  yellow,  darker  in 
the  sun;  flesh  deep  orange,  high  flavored,  rich,  and  juicy, 
separating  from  the  stone ;  kernel  sweet ;  a  native  of 
Africa ;  hardy,  productive,  and  fine  for  the  dessert  or 
preserves.  Ripens  middle  of  June. 

Moorpark* — Large,  roundish  oval;  skin  orange,  with 
a  ruddy  cheek ;  flesh  bright  orange,  free  from  the  stone, 
juicy,  and  of  rich,  luscious  flavor;  stone  perforated; 


PR  CITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  359 

hardly  differs  from  the  peach  apricot,  not  quite  so  large, 
and  a  little  later.     Ripens  July  20th.     Very  productive. 

Hemskirke. — Fruit  large,  roundish,  but  considerably 
compressed  on  its  sides ;  skin  orange,  with  a  red  cheek ; 
flesh  bright  orange,  tender,  rather  more  juicy  than  the 
Moorpark,  with  a  rich,  luscious  flavor ;  stone  small,  and 
kernel  bitter.  Ripens  July  1st. 

Royal* — Fruit  round,  large,  slightly  compressed ;  skin 
dull  yellow,  with  a  darker  cheek,  faintly  tinged  with  red  ; 
with  a  slightly  marked  suture ;  flesh  pale  orange,  firm  and 
juicy,  with  a  rich,  vinous  flavor.  Ripens  July  1st. 


THE  BLACKBERRY.— (Rubus  villosus,  etc.) 

We  do  not  consider  it  necessary  for  us  to  give  any  de- 
scription of  this  fruit,  as  it  is  well  known  by  everybody, 
and  is  one  of  the  greatest  pests  the  planter  and  farmer  have 
to  contend  with,  springing  up  everywhere  along  the 
fences,  in  the  field,  the  vegetable  and  flower  garden.  To 
us  of  the  South  it  is  amusing  to  see  the  excitement  gotten 
up  by  Northern  horticulturists  about  it.  Their  New 
Rochelle,  Doolittle,  Kittatinny,  etc.,  etc.,  are  thrown  far 
in  the  background  by  the  wagon  loads  that  can  be  gath- 
ered from  almost  any  of  our  old  fields. 

The  Blackberry  is  a  tolerable  dessert  fruit,  continues  a 
long  time  in  bearing,  and  is  also  used  for  drying,  for 
tarts,  pies,  puddings,  jams,  and  preserves.  A  very  good 
wine  is  made  from  the  juice,  which  more  nearly  resembles 
Madeira  than  any  made  from  our  native  grapes.  There 
is  a  white  variety,  which  differs  from  the  black  only  in 
color,  and  is  occasionally  found  growing  wild  amongst 
the  black. 


360  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

The  Dewberry,  (comprising  both  JRubits  Canadensls 
and  trivialis,)  is  also  very  common  at  the  South;  is 
running  or  trailing,  and  ripens  its  fruit  some  two  weeks  in 
advance  of  the  high  bush  varieties,  and  the  fruit  is  sweeter. 


CHEERY.— (Prunus  vulgaris.) 

The  Cherry,  it  is  said,  was  brought  from  Asia  by  Lucul- 
lus,  the  Roman  General ;  and  from  Rome  its  culture  spread 
over  Europe.  In  cooler  latitudes  some  of  the  varieties 
are  quite  ornamental  on  account  of  their  fine  foliage  and 
early  white  blossoms,  but  it  stops  growing  and  drops  its 
leaves  too  early  in  our  climate  to  be  esteemed  for  this  pur- 
pose. By  the  older  authors  the  Plum  and  Cherry  were 
placed  in  different  genera,  but  the  best  botanists  of  the 
present  time  consider  them  both  as  species  of  JPrunus,  and 
the  old  name  Cerasus,  as  applied  to  the  Cherry,  is  dropped. 

In  the  Southern  States  but  few  varieties  succeed  well, 
except  the  common  Morello  or  Pie-Cherry.  The  trees  of 
the  finer  varieties  grow  very  well  for  some  three  or  four 
years,  and  then  commence  splitting  and  dying  on  the 
south-west  side  of  the  trunk ;  we  have  seen  a  few  that 
grew  and  bore  fine  crops  for  a  few  years  when  planted  on 
the  top  of  poor,  rocky  hills;  the  splitting  of  the  bark  ap- 
pears to  be  caused  by  a  too  luxuriant  growth.  The  trees 
should  be  planted  in  poor  ground,  and  have  but  little  or 
no  manuring.  Train  the  trees  with  low  heads,  so  as  to 
shade  the  trunks  and  protect  them  from  the  sun.  Cher- 
ries are  generally  grafted  or  budded  on  the  Mazzard  or 
wild  European  stock,  though  the  Mahaleb  or  Perfumed- 
cherry  stock  is  preferable,  as  it  dwarfs  the  tree,  and  is  less 
liable  to  split  and  sun-burn. 

It  is  not  probable  that  the  finer  varieties  of  the  Cherry 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  361 

will  ever  be  very  successfully  cultivated  at  the  South,  un- 
til we  raise  seedlings  suited  to  the  climate. 

Of  the  varieties  described  below,  the  Elton,  May  Duke, 
Sweet  Montmorency,  and  common  Morello,  are  the  only 
ones  that  have  ever  produced  good  crops  with  us. 

May  Duke  i — Fruit  roundish,  medium  size,  and  in  clus- 
ters ;  skin  lively  red  at  first,  dark  red  when  ripe ;  flesh 
reddish,  tender,  melting,  very  juicy ;  rich  and  excellent 
when  fully  ripe.  Ripens  early  in  May. 

Doctor. — A  heart  Cherry,  small,  roundish  heart-shaped, 
distinct  suture ;  bright  yellow  and  red,  which  are  blended 
and  mottled ;  flesh  white,  tender  and  juicy,  with  a  sweet, 
delicious  flavor.  Tree  cracks  at  the  South. 

Rockport  Bigarreau. — Very  large,  heart-shaped  ;  skin 
deep  red  on  amber  ground;  flesh  pale  yellow,  fine,  juicy, 
with  a  sweet,  rich  flavor.  Splits  at  the  South. 

Elton. — Very  large,  heart-shaped ;  skin  pale  yellow, 
with  a  mottled  red  cheek ;  stalk  long  and  slender ;  flesh 
firm  at  first,  becoming  tender,  juicy,  with  a  rich,  luscious 
flavor.  Tree  grows  slowly,  and  is  not  disposed  to  split. 
Ripens  May  20th  to  June  1st. 

Kentish. — Fruit  small  to  medium,  round,  a  little  flat- 
tened, grows  in  pairs ;  skin  bright  red,  growing  dark 
when  ripe ;  stalk  one  and  a  fourth  inch  long,  stout,  and 
set  in  a  pretty  deep  hollow  ;  flesh  melting,  juicy,  and  of  a 
rich,  sprightly  flavor.  A  hardy  variety,  and  excellent  for 
cooking. 

Late  Kentish. — Resembles  the  above,  but  is  two  weeks 
later,  a  little  larger,  and  excellent  for  cooking,  preserving, 
and  drying. 

Kirtland's  Mary. — Very  large,  roundish  heart-shaped ; 
color  light  and  dark  red,  mottled  on  a  yellow  ground ; 
stalk  of  moderate  size ;  flesh  light  yellow,  half  tender, 
rich,  juicy,  with  a  sweet  flavor. 
16 


GARDENING  FOE  THE   SOUTH. 

Black  Heart. — Large,  heart-shaped;  skin  glossy,  dark 
purple,  changing  to  black  when  ripe ;  stalk  one  inch  and 
a  half  long,  in  a  moderate  cavity;  flesh  half  tender,  juicy, 
and  of  a  rich,  sweet  flavor.  A  large,  hardy  tree,  but  dis- 
posed to  split. 

Downer's  Late. — Fruit  medium,  borne  in  clusters, 
roundish  heart-shaped,  inclining  to  oval ;  skin  smooth,  of  a 
soft,  lively  red  color,  mottled  with  amber  in  the  shade ; 
flesh  tender,  melting,  with  a  sweet,  luscious  flavor. 

RcillC  Ho r tense, — Fruit  large,  bright  red,  tender,  juicy, 
nearly  sweet,  and  delicious.  Tree  grows  vigorously,  bears 
well,  and  if  planted  on  poor  ground  is  not  inclined  to 
split.  An  excellent  fruit. 

Belle  Magnifique. — A  large  red  cherry;  rather  acid, 
tender,  juicy,  and  rich ;  fine  for  cooking,  and  for  dessert 
when  fully  ripe.  Tree  of  slow  growth,  but  bears  pro- 
fusely. 

English  Morello,— Tolerably  large,  roundish,  nearly 
black ;  flesh  reddish-purple,  tender,  juicy,  of  a  pleasant 
sub-acid  flavor.  The  common  Morello  of  this  country  is 
smaller  and  inferior  to  the  above.  Ripens  May  20th. 

Plumstone  Morello. — Large,  dark  red,  rich  and  fine 
flavor ;  the  best  of  all  Morellos.  Tree  slow  grower,  and 
has  small,  wiry  shoots. 

Sweet  Montmorency. — Fruit  of  medium  size,  round, 
and  a  little  flattened ;  skin,  pale  amber  in  the  shade,  light 
red,  slightly  mottled  in  the  sun ;  stalks  long  and  slender, 
inserted  in  a  small,  even  depression  ;  flesh  yellowish,  ten- 
der, sweet,  and  excellent.  One  of  the  best  at  the  South. 


CURRANT.— (Ribes  rubrum.) 

The  currant  is  a  low  shrub,  a  native  of  Great  Britain 
and  the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  America;  with 
smooth  branches,  doubly-serrate,  pubescent  leaves,  and 


FEITITS. — VAEIETIES   AND   CULTUEE.  363 

yellowish  flowers,  which  ripen  early  in  the  spring.  The 
fruit  ripens  with  the  later  strawberries  and  raspberries. 
It  succeeds  and  thrives  admirably  in  our  mountain  sec- 
tions, and  will  live  and  bear  tolerably  well  here  in  a  cool 
northern  exposure,  but  would  probably  die  the  first  sea- 
son near  the  sea-coast. 

The  fruit  is  of  an  agreeable  acid  taste ;  when  ripe  it  is 
used  with  sugar  at  the  dessert,  and  also  alone,  or  mixed 
with  raspberries,  for  jams,  jellies,  and  wine.  It  is  used 
both  green  or  ripe  for  stewing,  tarts  and  pies.  In  cool 
climates  it  is  the  most  easily  cultivated  and  useful  of 
small  fruits. 

The  Currant  is  propagated  from  cuttings,  which  should 
be  planted  in  the  fall  in  a  shaded  place,  but  not  under 
trees ;  the  north  side  of  a  plank  fence  is  an  excellent  situa- 
tion, provided  it  is  open  to  the  morning  sun. 

The  Currant  requires  a  moist,  rich  soil,  and  should  be 
trained  as  a  bush.  All  the  pruning  it  requires  is  to  cut 
out  the  superabundant  old  wood,  and  to  shorten  that  of 
the  last  season's  growth. 

The  varieties  we  have  cultivated  are : 

Red  Dutch. — Fruit  of  large  size,  oblate,  borne  in  clus- 
ters, and  less  acid  than  the  common  red ;  color,  fine  trans- 
parent red. 

White  Dutch. — Large,  yellowish-white,  less  acid  than 
the  red  varieties. 

"We  could  describe  several  other  varieties,  but  not 
having  had  any  success  with  them,  we  only  give  those 
with  which  we  have  succeeded. 


THE  FIG, — (Ficus  Carica.) 

The  fig  is  a  large  shrub,  or  a  low,  spreading  tree,  accord- 
ing to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  trained.  Some  varieties 
grow  to  the  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  in  favorable 


364  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

localities,  but  it  generally  does  not  reach  above  half  that 
height.  The  leaves  are  large,  cordate,  and  deeply  sinu- 
ate, with  three  to  five  lobes,  thick  and  pubescent  on  the 
under  surface.  The  blossoms  are  not  apparent,  but  con- 
cealed in  the  inside  of  the  fleshy  receptacle  that  becomes  the 
fruit,  which  consists  of  a  pulp,  containing  numerous  peri- 
carps enclosed  in  a  rind,  which  becomes  variously  colored 
in  the  different  varieties.  Though  the  fruit  is  too  sweet  and 
luscious  for  those  unaccustomed  to  it,  it  with  use  soon  be- 
comes a  great  favorite,  and  is  perhaps  the  most  wholesome 
and  nutritious  of  fruits.  The  fig  is  a  native  of  Asia  and 
Africa,  and  has  been  cultivated  from  the  earliest  times. 
It  is  perfectly  at  home  in  all  the  low  country  and  middle 
portions  of  the  Southern  States,  and  as  universally 
cultivated  below  the  mountain  section  as  the  peach. 
Large  quantities  of  dried  figs  are  imported  into  the  United 
States,  and  are  even  sold  in  our  midst.  These,  at  very 
little  expense,  could  be  put  up  at  home  and  even  ex- 
ported at  a  profit. 

A  good  way  to  dry  figs  is  to  gather  them  when  per- 
fectly ripe ;  boil  them  in  a  preserving  kettle  in  a  syrup  of 
nice  sugar  about  five  minutes.  Take  them  out,  dry  them 
in  a  warm  oven,  or  a  kiln  made  for  drying  fruits  ;  when 
dry  they  can  be  packed  in  drums  or  boxes. 

Imported  figs  are  dipped  in  a  hot  lye  made  of  fig  wood 
ashes,  and  dried  on  frames  in  the  sun ;  when  dried  here 
they  are  apt  to  be  infested  with  minute  insects.  The  fig 
is  readily  propagated  by  shoots,  or  cuttings  from  the 
roots,  planted  in  the  fall  or  spring.  Cuttings  should  be 
eight  or  ten  inches  long,  and  include  a  small  portion  of 
old  wood  at  the  base  of  each  ;  if  planted  in  a  hot  bed  in 
January,  they  will  make  handsome  plants  the  same  sea- 
son. Figs  should  be  planted  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  apart 
in  good,  rich  earth.  The  Celestial  Fig  is  best  trained  as  a 
low  tree.  The  best  soil  for  the  fig  is  a  mellow  loam  of  a 
calcareous  nature. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND    CULTURE.  365 

Ashes,  marl,  or  composts  prepared  with  mild  lime  form 
the  best  manure.  If  the  soil  is  too  moist  the  fig  continues 
its  growth  too  late  in  the  fall,  when  the  new  wood  is 
killed  by  the  frost ;  while  young,  it  is  best  to  protect  the 
tree  during  winter  with  branches  of  evergreens.  I  have 
found  that  young  trees  will  mature  their  fruit  and  wood 
much  more  perfectly,  and  better  endure  the  winter,  if  the 
young  shoots  are  broken  off  at  the  ends,  and  if  all  fruit 
forming  after  that  is  removed,  and  no  more  growth  is 
permitted  after  the  middle  of  September. 

As  a  general  rule,  however,  with  the  fig,  the  more  it  is 
pruned  the  less  is  the  crop.  This,  however,  does  not  ap- 
ply to  root  pruning. 

If  from  too  rank  growth  of  wood  the  tree  drops  its 
fruit,  cut  off  all  the  roots  that  project  more  than  half  the 
length  of  the  branches  at  any  time  during  winter. 

The  nomenclature  of  figs  is  still  very  uncertain,  as  few 
are  described  with  minuteness  and  accuracy.  The  names 
of  several  of  our  common  varieties  do  not  appear  in  the 
books,  or  they  are  so  imperfectly  described,  that  we  do 
not  recognize  them. 

DARK-COLORED   VARIETIES. 

Brunswick. — Fruit  very  large,  long,  pyriform,  with  an 
oblique  apex ;  eye  depressed  ;  stalk  short  and  thick ; 
skin,  pale  green,  tinged  with  yellow  in  the  shade,  dull 
brownish-red  in  the  sun,  and  sprinkled  with  pale  brown 
specks ;  flesh  reddish-brown,  pinkish  at  the  centre,  semi- 
transparent,  rich,  sweet,  and  high  flavored.  If  I  have 
the  true  variety  the  leaves  are  deeply  cut,  and  generally 
seven-lobed.  Wood  of  strong  growth,  and  very  hardy. 

Brown  Turkey. — Fruit  large,  oblong  or  pyriform; 
sMn  dark  brown,  covered  with  thick  blue  bloom ;  flesh 
red  and  delicious.  Said  to  be  very  hardy  and  prolific. 
It  may  be  our  common  blue  variety. 


SG6  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

Brown  ISChia* — Fruit  medium  to  large,  roundish  obo- 

vate ;  skin  chestnut  brown  ; 
flesh  purple,  sweet,  and  ex- 
cellent; leaves  broad  and 
five-lobed. 

Small    Brown   Ischia,— 

Fruit  small,  pyriform,  with 
a  short  stalk;  skin  light 
brown ;  flesh  inclining  to 
purple,  high  flavored ;  leaves 
less  sinuate  than  in  the  other 
sorts.  This  and  the  Brown 
Turkey  are  generally  con- 
sidered the  hardiest  varieties. 

Black  Genoa.  —  Leaflets 
narrow,  and  the  leaf  seven- 
Fig.  94.-BROWN  ISCHIA.  iobea ;  fruit  large,  long, 
obovate,  tapering  to  the  stalk,  which  is  slender ;  skin  al- 
most black,  glossy,  covered  with  purple  bloom ;  flesh 
bright  red,  of  excellent  flavor. 
This  continued  to  bear  fruit  abund- 
antly until  frost,  and  like  the 
Brunswick  is  indispensable. 

Celestial* — Fruit  quite  small, 
pyriform ;  stalk  slender ;  skin  very 
thin,  dark  colored,  and  covered 
with  purple  bloom;  flesh  light 
red,  and  of  delicious  flavor. 

In  dry  weather  the  fruit  hangs 
on  the  tree  until  it  shrivels,  im- 
proving in  sweetness  and  flavor. 
Trees  grow  quite  large,  and  are 
very  productive,  yielding  constant-        Fi£-  95.— CELESTIAL. 
ly  from  July  to  October.     Leaves  five-lobed.     May  prove 
to  be  the  Malta  of  Downing,  and  others.     Very  hardy. 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   ANI>  CULTURE.  367 

The  Common  Blue. — This  is  rather  inferior  in  flavor  to 
the  foregoing  ;  but  is  very  hardy  and  productive.  Fruit 
large,  oblong,  bluish-purple;  early,  and  produces  two 
crops. 

Pregussatta, — Fruit  medium,  roundish,  flattened;  skin 
purplish-brown  in  the  shade,  dark  brown  in  the  sun  ;  flesh 
deep  red,  high  flavored,  and  luscious.  This  is  usually 
placed  among  the  light-colored  figs,  but  properly  belongs 
here. 

WHITE,    YELLOW,   AND   GREEN   VARIETIES. 

Lemon  White,  or  Common  White, — Fruit  turbinate, 
flattened ;  stalk  short ;  bkin  pale  yellowish-green ;  flesh 
white  and  sweet,  not  high  flavored.  Ripens  quite  early, 
and  is  a  good  bearer.  Its  color  renders  it  a  favorite  for 
preserving. 

White  Genoa, — Fruit  large,  globular,  a  little  length- 
ened to  the  stalk  ;  skin  thin,  yellowish  when  ripe  ;  flesh 
light  red,  and  of  sweet,  delicious  flavor.  If  protected,  the 
fruit  is  the  first  to  ripen.  A  good  bearer.  Indispensable. 

iVerii, — Fruit  small,  roundish  obovate ;  skin  light  green- 
ish-yellow; flesh  red,  slightly  acid,  delicate  and  rich. 
Has  borne  here  some  years,  and  is  a  very  nice  little  fig. 

Alicante, — A  very  large  and  delicious  purple  fig,  bear- 
ing abundantly  early  in  the  season,  until  frost,  in  the  low 
country,  but  not  suited  to  this  latitude,  as  it  is  more 
tender  than  those  described. 

Black  Ischia  and  White  Ischia  are  said  to  be  good. 
The  above  list  we  know  are.  The  White  Marseilles,  Gen- 
tile, and  Yellow  Ischia  are  worthless.  The  Matanzas  is 
said  to  be  a  very  desirable  variety,  but  as  we  have  never 
seen  the  fruit,  we  cannot  give  a  description  of  it. 


368  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 


GOOSEBERRY.— (Ribea  Grossularia.) 

The  Gooseberry,  like  the  Currant,  is  a  native  of  Eu- 
rope. Green,  it  is  used  for  pies,  tarts,  and  puddings; 
ripe,  it  is  a  very  agreeable  dessert  fruit.  It  is  more  im- 
patient of  heat  than  the  currant,  and  cannot  be  expected 
to  thrive  except  among  the  mountains.  It  is,  like  the  cur- 
rant, propagated  from  cuttings,  likes  the  same  soil  and 
treatment  generally,  even  in  the  Northern  States,  and  in 
our  mountain  region  the  fruit  is  liable  to  mildew,  the 
foreign  varieties  being  much  more  subject  to  it  than  the 
native  varieties. 

Houghton's  Seedling  and  Downing's  Seedling  are  the 
best  native  varieties  we  have  seen.  Woods  earth,  or  leaf 
mould,  and  ashes,  are  the  best  manures  for  both  the  cur- 
rant and  gooseberry  that  we  have  tried. 


THE  GEAPE.-(F^.) 

The  vine  was  one  of  the  first  plants  brought  into  culti- 
vation. The  foreign  grapes  are  all  varieties  of  Vitis  vini- 
fem,  and  came  originally  from  Asia.  Of  native  grapes, 
we  have  Vitis  Labrusca,  of  which  Isabella,  Catawba, 
Concord,  Diana,  and  Hartford  Prolific,  and  many  others, 
are  varieties ;  Vitis  cordifolia  and  V.  cestivalis  include 
the  wild  Summer,  the  Frost  Grape,  and  of  the  cultivated 
varieties,  the  Ohio,  Warren,  or  Herbemont,  Lenoir, 
Taylor's  Bullit,  and  a  host  of  new  ones  of  the  same 
class;  Vitis  rotundifolia  includes  the  wild  Muscadine, 
or  Bullace,  of  the  South,  and  the  Scuppemong,  and,  we 
are  almost  inclined  to  add,  the  Mustang. 

Our  American  grapes  are  seedlings  from  the  wild  varie- 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  369 

ties,  removed  some  one,  two,  and  three  generations  from 
the  original  type.  Foreign  grapes  do  not  succeed  in  our 
climate  in  open  air  or  out-door  cultivation.  All  the 
foreign  varieties  do  well  both  North  and  South,  in  cold 
graperies,  under  glass. 

The  grape  is  a  cooling  and  refreshing  fruit,  of  the 
highest  excellence ;  green,  it  is  used  for  pies  and  tarts ; 
when  ripe,  it  is  a  nutritious  and  most  delicious  dessert  fruit, 
and  is  also  used  for  preserving  and  jellies.  The  dried 
fruit,  or  raisins,  are  employed  extensively  for  the  dessert, 
and  in  many  preparations  of  cookery.  The  leaves  are  an 
elegant  garnish  to  other  table  fruits,  but  the  chief  product 
of  the  grape  is  wine,  which  is  superior  to  that  made  of 
any  other  fruit. 

Large  quantities  of  wine  are  now  made  in  the  United 
States,  more  especially  in  California,  where  most  of  the 
foreign  varieties  succeed.  In  the  Southern  States,  vine- 
yard culture  has  proved  a  failure  with  all  derived  from 
the  Labrusca  and  JEstivalis  species.  After  one  or  two 
fair  crops,  the  vines  become  stunted  and  unfruitful,  or  if 
stimulated  by  extra  culture  and  manuring,  both  vines  and 
fruit  mildew  and  rot.  There  are  but  very  few  varieties 
which  can  be  depended  upon  with  anything  approaching 
to  certainty,  and  we  shall  only  recommend  such,  as  we 
have  thoroughly  tested  most  of  the  celebrated  varieties 
cultivated  in  the  Northern  States  for  the  past  six  to  ten 
years. 

We  here  insert  the  mode  of  culture  of  a  vineyard  of 
the  Catawba  grape,  together  with  the  several  methods  of 
training  the  vine,  as  laid  down  in  the  first  edition  of  this 
work,  by  Mr.  White,  but  our  subsequent  experience  com- 
pels us  to  say  that  we  have  been  much  disappointed  in  the 
results : 

"For  vineyard   culture   of   the   Catawba    grape,   the 
ground    should    be    subsoiled   with   a   plow,   or   deeply 
trenched.     A  declivity  should  be  worked  into   terraces, 
16* 


370  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH 

with  a  slight  inclination  to  the  hill,  that  the  water  may 
be  collected  there  to  be  carried  thence  to  the  main  drains. 
The  Catawba  grape  is  planted  by  the  vine-growers  on 
level  ground,  in  rows  seven  feet  apart,  and  four  feet  in  the 
row,  but  on  hill-sides,  three  by  five  feet  apart.  The  vine- 
yard is  laid  off  with  a  line,  and  a  stake  put  down  where 
each  vine  is  to  grow ;  then  a  broad  hole,  a  foot  deep,  is 
dug,  in  which  are  placed  two' cuttings,  six  or  eight  inches 
apart  at  the  bottom,  in  a  slanting  position,  but  with  the 
top  eyes  only  about  an  inch  apart,  and  even  with  the  sur- 
face ;  throw  in  a  shovelful  of  well-decayed  leaf  mould, 
that  the  cuttings  may  strike  freely.  Cover  with  an  inch 
of  charcoal  dust,  or  light  mould,  when  the  cuttings  are 
planted.  The  cuttings  should  be  short-jointed  and  well 
ripened,  each  cutting  having  about  four  eyes,  or  buds. 
Cut  them  off  close  to  the  lower  joint,  and  about  an  inch 
above  the  upper.  The  earth  should  be  pressed  closely 
about  the  cuttings.  The  best  time  for  putting  them  out 
is  the  last  of  November  or  December.  The  finest  vines 
are  raised  from  cuttings  planted  where  they  are  to  remain. 
Being  undisturbed  by  removal,  they  are  more  thrifty  and 
long-lived.  Remove  all  the  cuttings  but  one,  if  more 
than  one  succeeds,  and  use  them  to  replace  where  others 
have  failed.  During  the  summer,  keep  the  ground  clean 
and  light,  by  repeated  hoeings,  and  pull  off  superfluous 
shoots,  leaving  but  one  or  two  to  grow  at  first,  and  one 
eventually.  Next  spring  cut  the  vine  down  to  two  buds, 
one  of  which  remove  when  the  vine  shoots;  drive  a 
stake  seven  feet  long  to  each  plant.  Chestnut,  charred  at 
the  end,  is  very  good,  but  locust  and  cedar  are  the  most 
durable;  tie  the  young  vines  to  the  stake,  remove  all 
suckers,  and  allow  but  one  cane  to  grow.  Keep  free  from 
weeds,  and  cultivate  as  before.  The  next  spring,  cut  down 
to  three  buds,  and  the  year  after,  to  five,  and  this  year, 
train  two  canes  instead  of  one.  The  pruning  should  take 
place  from  November  to  the  last  of  February.  The  third 


FEUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE. 


371 


or  fourth  year,  according  to  the  strength  of  the  vine,  cut 
down  the  weakest  cane  to  a  spur  of  two  or  three  eyes, 
arid  select  the  best  shoot  of  the  preceding  year,  cut  it 
down  to  six  or  eight  joints,  bend  it  over  in  the  form  of  a 
hoop,  and  tie  to  the  stake,  or  fasten  it  to  the  adjoining 
stake,  in  a  horizontal  position. 

?  The  bow  form,  figure  96,  is  the  best.     Training  the 

vine  in  this  form  checks  the 
flow  of  sap,  and  causes  the 
buds  to  break  more  evenly, 
retarding  growth  and  increas- 
ing productiveness. 

"  From  this  bow  the  fruit 
is  to  be  produced  the  current 
year,  and  the  bearing  wood 
of  the  next  year  from  the 
spur  left  for  this  purpose. 
The  next  winter,  this  bow  is 
to  be  cut  away,  and  the  bow 
for  the  next  crop  is  formed 
from  the  best  branch  of  the 
new  wood  of  last  year.  Keep 
the  old  stalk  within  eighteen 
inches  of  the  ground.  Tie 
the  vines  carefully,  without 
breaking  them,  in  damp 
weather,  when  the  buds  are 
swelling,  the  last  of  February 
or  early  in  March.  In  the  summer  remove  the  suckers, 
and  pinch  off  lateral  shoots,  leaving  but  two  for  the  next 
year. 

"  The  object  is  to  throw  the  strength  of  the  vine  into 
the  fruit  and  the  next  year's  bearing  branches.  The  vine- 
yard should  be  heavily  manured  once  in  two  or  three 
years.  Wood  ashes  and  gypsum  are  good  applications, 
and  are  thought  to  prevent  the  rot.  The  trimmings  of 


Fig.  96. — BOW   TRAINING. 


372  GAEDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

the  vines,  dug  in,  are  found  to  be  beneficial;  but  leaf 
mould,  well  rotted,  with  the  addition  of  lime  and  ashes,  is 
the  best  application.  Vines  highly  manured  and  allowed 
to  grow  rampant,  covering  a  large  space,  will  produce  a 
weak  and  worthless  vine,  and  continue  in  bearing  but  two 
or  three  seasons."  We  have  only  copied  the  foregoing 
remarks  for  the  purpose  of  giving  a  system  for  the  benefit 
of  amateurs  and  those  desirous  of  experimenting,  and  not 
as  our  own  views,  as  we  tried  all  methods  with  the 
Northern  varieties,  and  found  all  to  fail,  in  the  prevention 
of  rot  and  mildew. 

If  vines  are  protected  by  a  coping  of  boards,  so  as  to 
protect  them  from  the  rain  and  dew,  a  few  varieties  suc- 
ceed very  well  for  two  or  three  years.  Vines  planted  by 
the  side  of  a  building,  so  as  to  be  partially  protected  by 
the  projecting  roof,  ripen  perfectly  for  a  few  years,  while 
those  exposed  decay. 

Wine. — There  is  no  more  art  or  mysteiy  in  making 
wine  than  in  making  cider.  The  grapes  are  crushed 
between  wooden  rollers,  which  run  sufficiently  near  each 
other  to  crush  the  grapes,  but  not  the  seeds. 

To  make  red  wine,  the  crushed  grapes  should  stand 
about  twenty-four  hours,  before  pressing,  so  as  to  extract 
a  portion  of  the  coloring  matter  from  the  skins,  when  they 
may  be  pressed  by  means  of  an  ordinary  screw  press.  To 
each  gallon  of  juice,  one  and  a  half  pound  of  good  clari- 
fied sugar  must  be  added ;  if  made  from  the  pure  juice 
of  the  grape,  the  wine  will  be  thin,  weak,  poor,  acid,  and 
astringent  stuff,  not  better  than  hard  cider.  All  the  best 
foreign  wines  have  a  large  portio'n  of  brandy  added ;  such 
as  the  Madeira  and  Sherry  have  near  twenty  per  cent.  In 
February  or  March  following,  the  wine  should  be  racked 
off  into  clean  casks,  if  intended  for  still  wine,  or  bottled, 
if  for  foaming  wine;  at  the  time  of  bottling,  a  table- 
spoonful  of  No.  1  clarified  sugar  must  be  put  into  each 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE.  373 

bottle,  which  should  be  well  corked.  Some  recommend 
rock  candy  to  be  added.  "We  have  found  nothing  better 
than  good  clarified  sugar. 

VARIETIES. 

Catawba. — Clusters,  of  medium  size,  shouldered,  some- 
what loose ;  berries,  large,  round  ;  skin,  rather  thick,  pale 
red  in  the  shade,  but  deep  red  in  the  sun,  with  lilac  bloom ; 
flesh,  slightly  pulpy,  juicy,  sweet,  with  an  aromatic,  rich, 
musky  flavor.  Ripens  last  of  August. 

Concord, — One  of  the  best  of  the  Northern  varieties, 
but  the  juice  is  too  weak  and  thin  to  make  a  good  wine. 
Clusters,  large,  loose,  and  well  shouldered  ;  berries,  very 
large,  juicy,  sweet,  with  but  little  aroma ;  a  fair  dessert 
grape;  color,  black,  with  a  heavy  bloom.  Vine  very 
vigorous,  and  the  fruit  is  less  liable  to  rot  and  mildew 
than  any  other  Northern  variety. 

Perkins. — Does  very  well  at  the  South,  and  is  next  to 
the  Concord  in  exemption  from  disease ;  berries,  large, 
and  slightly  oval ;  color,  a  pale,  dingy  pink ;  flesh,  hard, 
but  not  pulpy,  sweet  and  good,  but  destitute  of  aroma ; 
is  a  very  good  dessert  fruit.  Yine  vigorous  and  produc- 
tive. 

Clinton,  which  succeeds  well  here,  is  but  one  remove 
from  our  wild  Summer-grape ;  clusters,  medium  size, 
shouldered,  compact,  similar  to  its  parent ;  berries,  round, 
below  medium  size,  black,  covered  with  bloom,  juicy 
with  large  seeds,  and  some  acidity,  and  tough  pulp. 
Ripens  a  little  later  than  Isabella,  but  improves  by  hanging 
upon  the  vine. 

Warren,  or  Herbemont's  Madeira. — When  this  grape 
does  perfect  a  crop,  and  the  fruit  is  thoroughly  ripened,  it 
is  the  most  delicious  of  all  the  American  grapes.  Unless 
protected  by  some  kind  of  covering,  it  rarely  produces  a 
crop  of  fruit,  being  very  liable  to  the  rot.  This  grape 


o  4  4  GARDENING   FOR   THE-  SOUTH. 

becomes  eatable  the  middle  of  August,  but  should  not  be 
picked  before  the  1st  of  October,  if  to  be  eaten  by  a  con- 
noisseur. Few  persons  have  ever  seen  it  when  perfectly 
ripe,  and  fewer  still  have  ever  tasted  it. 

The    Scuppemong. — We   consider   this   very   peculiar 
grape  one  of  the  greatest  boons  to  the  South.     It  has 


.  07. — THE   SCUPPEKNONG. 


very  little  resemblance  to  any  of  the  grapes  of  the  other 
sorts.  It  is  a  rampant  grower,  and  requires  little,  if  any, 
care  or  culture ;  grows  well  in  any  soil  south  of  the 
Potomac  River ;  has  none  of  the  shaggy  bark  peculiar  to 


FRUITS.— -VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  375 

other  vines,  and  bears  only  from  the  old,  and  not  from  the 
current  shoots,  as  do  other  grapes.  The  leaves  are  cor- 
date, or  heart-shaped,  coarsely  serrate,  smooth  on  both 
upper  and  under  surfaces.  It  blooms  from  the  15th  to 
the  last  of  June,  and  ripens  its  fruit  the  last  of  September 
and  beginning  of  October.  It  has  no  diseases,  in  wood, 
leaf,  or  fruit,  and  rarely,  if  ever,  fails  to  produce  a  heavy 
crop.  We  have  never  knpwn  it  to  fail. 

It  will  produce  a  greater  weight  of  fruit  than  any  other 
variety  in  the  world.  The  clusters  vary  in  size  from  two 
to  twenty  berries,  and  the  berries  in  size  from  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  "to  one  inch  and  a  quarter  in  diameter. 

Vines,  six  years  transplanted,  have  this  year  given  us 
an  average  of  three  bushels  to  each  vine,  and  we  shall  be 
disappointed  if  they  do  not  double  every  year  for  many 
years  in  the  future.  It  is  the  sweetest  and  most  luscious 
of  any  grape  we  have  ever  seen  or  tasted  ;  makes  a  fine, 
heavy,  high-flavored,  fruity  wine,  and  is  peculiarly  adapted 
to  making  foaming  wines.  The  vine  should  be  trained  on 
an  arbor  or  scaffold,  and  should  have  ample  room  to 
spread ;  for,  if  it  becomes  matted,  it  dies  in  the  interior, 
and  fails  to  produce  fruit ;  give  it  room  to  spread  itself, 
and  it  will  do  so,  both  in  vine  and  fruit.  The  directions 
before  given  for  making  wine  apply  also  to  this ;  it  re- 
quires one  and  a  half  pound  of  clarified  sugar  to  one 
gallon  of  juice. 

We  are  credibly  informed  that  a  vine  of  this  variety  is 
growing  near  Mobile  which  has  produced  two  hundred 
and  fifty  bushels  of  grapes  in  a  year,  and  we  know  that 
vines  ten  years  old  have  given  and  will  give  thirty  bushels 
per  vine.  A  bushel  of  this  grape  will  give  from  three 
to  three  and  a  half  gallons  of  juice,  according  to  ripeness. 

The  aroma  given  off  by  this  grape,  when  ripening,  is 
of  honied  sweetness,  and  very  fragrant  and  delicious ;  it 
can  be  detected  for  some  considerable  distance.  Neither 


3T6  GARDENING   FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

insects  or  birds  ever  attack  the  fruit ;  'possums  and  coons 
are  fond  of  these  grapes,  as  they  fall  from  the  vine. 

We  do  not  hesitate  to  recommend  this  variety  to  our 
friends  at  the  South,  and  pledge  our  reputation,  as  a 
pomologist,  that  he  who  plants  it  will  never  regret  having 
done  so. 


MULBERRY.—  (Morus.) 

This  genus  includes  two  species  worthy  of  cultivation, 
both  hardy,  deciduous  trees,  ripening  their  fruits  in  May 
with  the  later  strawberries.  The  fruit  is  of  very  agree- 
able flavor,  and  of  abundant  sub-acid  juice.  An  agree- 
able wine  may  be  made  of  the  juice.  All  the  species  of 
Mulberry  are  of  the  easiest  culture,  and  are  generally  prop- 
agated by  cuttings  of  the  branches  or  roots.  The  former 
should  be  shoots  of  the  last  season,  having  one  joint  of  old 
wood ;  they  may  be  three  feet  long,  and  buried  half  their 
length  in  the  soil.  The  tree  requires  little  or  no  pruning. 

The  soil  should  be  a  rich,  deep,  sandy  loam.  The  fruit 
falls  when  ripe ;  hence,  when  the  tree  commences  bearing, 
the  surface  below  should  be  kept  in  short  turf,  that  the 
fruit  may  be  picked  from  the  clean  grass. 

Black  Mulberry,  (Morus  nigra,)  is  a  native  of  Persia, 
and  is  a  slow-growing,  low-branched  tree,  with  large,  tough 
leaves,  often  five-lobed,  producing  large  and  delicious  fruit, 
frequently  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  and  an  inch  across ; 
black,  and  fine  flavored.  Tree  a  very  poor  grower. 

Red  Mulberry  j  (Morus  rubra,)  is  a  native  of  our  woods ; 
leaves  large,  rough,  and  generally  heart-shaped ;  fruit  an 
inch  long,  sweet  and  pleasant,  but  inferior  to  the  black. 
The  vigorous  growth  and  fine  spreading  head  of  this  vari- 
ety makes  it  worthy  of  culture  as  an  ornamental  tree.  It 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND    CULTURE.  377 

is  the  most  tenacious  of  life  of  any  tree  we  have  ever  met 
with ;  twenty-seven  years  since  we  dug  one  up  in  our  gar- 
den, and  annually  up  to  the  present  time  shoots  put  up 
from  fragments  left  in  the  ground,  and  thus  far  we  have 
been  unable  to  exterminate  it.  If  the  cherry  is  planted 
near  the  house,  and  the  Mulberry  a  little  more  distant, 
the  latter  will  often  attract  the  birds  from  it. 

Downing's  Everbearing  was  originated  by  Charles 
Downing,  of  Newburgh,  1ST.  Y.,  from  the  seed  QfMorus  mul- 
ticaidis.  Tree  very  vigorous  and  productive ;  an  estimable 
variety,  and  surpassed  by  none  except  the  black  English, 
and  possessing  the  same  rich,  sub-acid  flavor.  It  continues 
in  bearing  a  long  time.  Fruit  one  and  a  quarter  inch 
long,  and  nearly  a  half  inch  in  diameter.  Color  maroon, 
or  intense  blue-black  at  full  maturity ;  flesh  juicy,  rich, 
and  sugary,  with  a  sprightly  vinous  flavor. 


NECTARINE. — (Amygdalus  Persica,  vcvr.  Icevis.) 

The  Nectarine  is  merely  a  peach  with  a  smooth  skin ;  it 
is  impossible  to  distinguish  the  tree  from  the  peach  by  its 
leaf  and  flowers. 

Nectarines  usually  produce  nectarines  from  the  seed ; 
but  the  Boston  Nectarine  originated  from  a  peach  stone. 

The  tree  is  cultivated  and  pruned  like  the  peach,  and  is 
propagated  by  grafting  or  budding  on  peach  stocks.  The 
great  difficulty  in  raising  Nectarines  (and  the  same  is 
true  of  the  apricot  and  plum),  is  the  curculio.  The  smooth 
skin  of  these  fruits  offers  an  inviting  place  for  this  insect  to 
deposit  its  eggs.  The  injured  fruit  may  be  known  by  be- 
ing marked  with  a  small,  semicircular  scar,  as  if  cut  by  a 
baby's  nail. 

It  is  useless  to  plant  either  the  Nectarine,  Apricot,  or 


378  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

Plum,  especially  in  sandy  soils,  unless  the  trees  are  daily 
jarred,  and  the  insects  collected  on  sheets  as  they  fall,  and 
immediately  destroyed.  A  limb  may  be  sawed  off  a  tree, 
and  the  stump  hit  a  few  smart  blows  with  a  mallet ;  if 
gently  shaken,  the  insect  will  not  let  go  its  hold.  Or 
another  plan  is  to  plant  the  trees  by  themselves,  and  ad- 
mit poultry  and  hogs  to  eat  the  fallen  fruit,  which  will,  if 
other  fruit  gardens  are  not  near,  protect  the  crop.  The 
borer  infests  the  Nectarine  as  well  as  the  Peach.  Aside 
from  the  curculio,  the  nectarine  is  as  hardy  and  easily 
raised  as  the  peach,  though  scarcely  equal  to  the  best 
peaches  in  flavor.  It  requires  the  same  soil  and  treatment 
as  the  peach.  The  best  varieties  are : 

Hunt's  Tawny. — Leaves  serrate ;  flowers  small ;  fruit 
medium  size,  roundish  oval,  with  a  swollen  point;  skin 
pale  orange,  dark  red  in  the  sun,  mottled  with  russet 
specks ;  flesh  orange,  juicy,  melting,  and  rich ;  a  good 
bearer.  Ripens  July  10th.  Free. 

Violet  Hativc,  or  Early  Violet,  —  Glands  reniform; 
flowers  small,  fruit  large,  roundish,  pale  yellowish-green, 
with  a  purplish-red  cheek,  mottled  with  brown;  flesh 
whitish-red  at  the  stone,  melting,  juicy,  and  delicious. 
Ripens  July  20th. 

Elruge, — Glands  reniform ;  flowers  small,  fruit  medium, 
roundish  oval ;  suture  slight ;  skin  pale  green,  with  deep 
violet  or  blood  red  cheek,  and  minute  brown  specks ; 
flesh  pale  green,  pale  red  at  the  stone ;  melting,  juicy, 
and  rich ;  stone  oval,  rough,  and  pale  colored.  Ripens 
July  25th. 

1)0 WiltOll, — Glands  reniform ;  fruit  large,  roundish  oval ; 
skin  pale  green,  flesh-red  at  the  stone ;  melting  and  de- 
licious. Ripens  July  25th. 

Boston,— Glands  globose;  flowers  small;  fruit  large, 
roundish  oval ;  skin  bright  yellow,  with  a  deep  red  cheek ; 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  379 

flesh  yellow,  not  rich,  "but  sweet  and  pleasant.  Ripens 
last  of  July.  Cling. 

New  White.  —  Glands  reniform;  flowers  large;  fruit 
large,  nearly  round ;  skin  white,  with  slight  tinge  of  red 
in  the  sun ;  flesh  white,  tender,  juicy,  vinous,  and  rich ; 
stone  small.  "Ripens  August  1st. 

Stanwick. — A  European  variety ;  skin  pale  greenish- 
white,  shaded  into  deep  violet  in  the  sun ;  flesh  white, 
tender,  juicy,  and  rich,  sweet,  and  without  the  slightest 
prussic  acid  flavor.  Ripens  August  1st.  Free. 

The  best  clingstone  nectarine  is  the  Early  Newington, 
and  the  best  of  all  nectarines  is  said  to  be  the  Stanwick. 
Temple's  is  said  also  to  be  a  fine  variety. 


NUTS. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  Nuts  worthy  of  cultivation 
by  every  planter,  many  of  which  are  ornamental  shade 
trees,  besides  being  valuable  for  the  fruit  they  yield.  For 
convenience,  we  class  them  under  one  head. 

Chestnut,  (  Castanea  vesca). — The  Chestnut  is  a  very 
large  forest  tree,  and  common  to  both  continents.  The 
Spanish  Chestnut  or  Marron,  produces  a  very  large,  sweet 
nut,  and  is  propagated  by  grafting  on  our  common  chest- 
nut. There  are  several  varieties  of  this,  of  which  "  Mar- 
ron de  Lyon  "  is  the  best.  It  will  bear  the  second  year 
from  the  graft.  Chestnuts  are  difficult  to  transplant 
when  taken  from  the  woods.  The  improved  varieties  are 
much  superior  to  the  wild  sorts.  The  chestnut  as  a  shade 
tree  is  very  effective  in  landscape  gardening. 

Shell-bark  Hickory,  (Gary a  alba). — This  tree  is  found 
in  fertile  soils  all  over  the  United  States,  producing  the 
common  thin-shelled,  white  hickory  nut.  The  tree  is  very 


830  GAEDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

regular  and  beautiful  for  ornamental  purposes.  There  is 
considerable  difference  in  the  size  and  flavor  of  the  nuts 
of  different  varieties.  It  is  generally  cultivated  by  plant- 
ing the  nuts  in  the  fall ;  these  should  be  slightly  covered 
with  leaf  mould. 

Filberts,  ( Corylus  AveUana,)  are  generally  raised  from 
layers.  They  should  not  be  allowed  to  sucker ;  but  trained 
to  form  low  heads  near  the  ground,  which  should  be  kept 
tolerably  open  by  thinning  out  the  small  spray,  and  short- 
ening back  the  young  shoots  every  spring.  Of  the  varie- 
ties, 

Cosford  is  a  large,  oblong  nut,  with  a  thin  shell,  and  of 
fine  flavor.  Prolific. 

Frizzled, — Known  by  the  frizzled  husk ;  nut  medium 
size,  oval,  compressed ;  husk  hairy ;  shell  thick ;  kernel 
sweet  and  good.  Productive. 

White  Filbert, — Like  the  last,  but  with  a  light  yellow 
or  white  skin  ;  husk  long  and  tubular ;  nuts  ovate. 

Madeira  Nut,  (Juglaus  JRegia,)  is  a  fine,  lofty  tree, 
with  a  handsome,  open  head,  producing  the  well-known 
nuts  of  the  shops.  It  is  produced  from  the  seed,  or  by 
grafting.  Likes  a  rich,  moist  soil.  Juglaus  Prcepar- 
turiens  is  similar  to  the  above,  but  bears  fruit  when  three 
years  old,  and  is  valuable  on  this  account  for  the  garden. 

Black  Walnut,  (Juglaus  nigra^)  should  have  a  place 
in  the  grounds  of  the  amateur,  as  it  is  not  only  a  fine  shade 
tree,  but  is  valuable  for  its  fruit  and  timber. 

Pistachio  Nut,  (Pistacia  vera,)  an  ornamental  tree,  pro- 
ducing agreeable  flavored  nuts,  is  much  cultivated  in 
Southern  Europe. 

The  tree  is  dioecious,  so  that  to  produce  fruit  the  male 
and  female  trees  must  be  planted  together.  The  nuts  are 
oval,  the  size  of  the  Olive,  slightly  furrowed,  with  a  mild- 
flavored,  oily  nut.  The  tree  grows  to  the  height  of  fif- 
teen or  twenty  feet.  Nuts  of  this* variety  have  been  dis- 


FEUITS. VAEIETIES   AND   CULTUEE,  381 

tributed  in  various  parts  of  the  Union  by  the  Patent 
Office.  The  tree  will  probably  succeed  in  the  low  coun- 
try. 


OLIVE,— (Olea  Europea.) 

The  Olive  is  a  low-branching,  evergreen  tree,  rising  to 
the  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  with  stiff,  narrow, 
bluish-green  leaves.  The  fruit  is  a  drupe,  of  oblong,  sphe- 
roidal form ;  hard,  thick  flesh  of  a  yellowish-green  color, 
turning  black  when  ripe.  The  tree  is  a  native  of  Greece 
and  the  sea-coast  ridges  of  Asia  and  Africa ;  it  has  been 
cultivated  from  time  immemorial  for  the  oil  expressed 
from  its  ripe  fruit.  Where  cultivated  it  answers  all  the 
purposes  of  cream  and  butter,  and  enters  into  every  kind 
of  cooking.  Unripe  olives  are  much  used  as  pickles, 
which,  though  distasteful  at  first  to  most  persons,  become 
by  custom  exceedingly  grateful,  promoting  digestion,  and 
increasing  appetite.  The  ripe  Olive  is  crushed  to  a  paste, 
when  the  oil  is  expressed  through  coarse  hempen  bags  in- 
to hot  water,  from  which  the  pure  oil  is  skimmed  off.  If 
the  stone  is  crushed  the  oil  is  inferior.  Lime  and  potash 
should  be  applied  as  fertilizers,  should  the  soil  be  deficient 
in  these  substances. 

Propagation  and  Culture. — Olive  plantations  are  gen- 
erally formed  from  the  suckers  which  grow  abundantly 
from  the  roots  of  old  trees. 

It  grows  readily  from  cuttings  and  seeds.  Knots  and 
tumors  form  on  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  which  are  removed 
with  a  knife,  or  planted  like  bulbs  an  inch  or  two  deep, 
when  they  take  root  and  form  new  trees. 

The  cultivated  Olive  may  perhaps  also  be  grafted  on 
our  Olea  Americana,  or  Devil  Wood,  which  abounds  on 


382  GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

our  sea-coast.  The  best  trees  are  from  seeds  which  com- 
mence bearing  in  five  or  six  years,  but  are  not  remuner- 
ative until  ten  or  twelve  years  old.  The  trees  produce  fifteen 
to  twenty  pounds  of  oil  per  year,  and  their  longevity  is 
greater  than  that  of  any  other  fruit  tree.  The  dry  lime- 
stone soils  of  Florida  would  probably  become  exceedingly 
valuable  if  planted  with  the  Olive. 

It  should  be  tried  wherever  the  Orange  will  survive  the 
winter.  In  planting,  the  trees  are  set  from  thirty  to  forty 
feet  apart.  The  European  varieties  are  many,  but  we 
enumerate  only  a  few. 

Olea  anglllosa  is  a  hardy  variety,  with  scanty  foliage ; 
fruit  reddish,  with  long  stem ;  it  is  preserved  in  some 
places. 

"  Oil  of-  medium  quality,"  says  Gonan,  but  very  good 
according  to  others. 

Olea  amygdalina  is  the  variety  most  commonly  culti- 
vated; fruit  almond  shaped;  is  often  pickled.  Oil  very 
sweet. 

Olea  Cranimorpha,  or  Weeping  Olive,  is  a  large  and 
fine  tree,  with  drooping  branches ;  fruit  small,  crooked, 
pointed,  very  black. 

Olea  spheric  a  has  fruit  more  round  than  any  other 
variety.  Oil  delicate. 

Olea  Oblonga  yields  fruit  best  for  pickling ;  oil  fine  and 
sweet.  Produces  abundantly.  Tree  hardy. 


THE  ORANGE,   LEMON,   ETC. 

The  Orange,  ( Citrus  AurantiumJ)  is  a  native  of  Asia. 
The  rich  golden  fruit  displayed  among  its  dark,  glossy, 
evergreen  foliage  renders  it  the  most  beautiful  of  fruit 
trees.  The  tree  grows  to  the  height  of  twenty  to  thirty 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  383 

feet,  with  a  round,  symmetrical  head ;  the  bark  of  the 
trunk  is  of  an  ashy-gray,  while  that  of  the  twigs  is  green. 
The  leaves  are  of  a  fine,  healthy,  shining  green ;  its  blos- 
soms are  delicately  fragrant,  and  as  the  tree  is  in  all  stages 
of  bearing  at  the  same  time,  in  flower  and  ripe  golden 
fruit,  nothing  can  surpass  an  Orange  grove  in  attractive- 
ness. The  wild,  bitter-sweet  orange  is  found  in  various 
parts  of  Florida  as  far  north  as  29°  ;  its  occurrence  is  said 
to  be  indicative  of  a  good  soil.  It  may  have  originated 
from  the  Seville  orange  introduced  by  the  Spaniards.  The 
orange  at  this  time  is  extensively  cultivated  iu  Florida, 
and  somewhat  on  the  coast  of  Georgia  and  Carolina. 

Lime  is  essential  to  the  healthy  growth  of  the  tree ;  the 
best  soil  is  a  deep  fertile  loam  on  the  banks  of  rivers. 

The  wild  orange  taken  from  the  woods  is  generally 
used  as  a  stock  to  graft  the  most  desirable  varieties  upon. 

The  scale  insect,  Coccus  Hisperidum,  and  others,  prove 
annoying  to  those  who  attempt  to  cultivate  the  orange  in 
green-houses,  but  can  be  destroyed  by  washing  the  leaves 
and  wood  with  a  strong  decoction  of  tobacco  heated 
nearly  to  boiling  heat ;  the  warm  liquid  irritates  the  in- 
sect, so  that  it  looses  its  hold,  permitting  the  liquid  to 
enter  between  it  and  the  wood  or  leaf. 

There  are  about  forty  varieties  of  oranges  cultivated,  of 
two  principal  classes,  viz. :  The  Sweet  or  China  Orange, 
and  the  Bitter  Seville  or  Wild  Orange.  The  latter  class 
is  much  the  more  hardy,  but  of  no  value  as  a  dessert  fruit. 
They  are  used  in  cooking,  preserving,  wine  making,  and 
for  flavoring.  Of  the  sweet  oranges,  the  Maltese  has  a 
thick  and  spongy  rind,  red  and  delicious  pulp,  but  some- 
times with  a  trace  of  bitterness.  The  glands  which 
secrete  the  oil  are  prominent. 

St.  Michaels. — Small,  with  thin,  smooth  rind,  and 
small  glands ;  pulp  light  colored,  and  of  a  luscious,  sugary 
taste ;  often  seedless.  The  most  delicious  of  all  oranges. 


384  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

Mandarin* — Is  a  small,  flattened  fruit,  with  a  thin  rind, 
parting  freely  from  the  pulp,  frequently  separating  itself; 
pulp  dark  orange,  juicy,  and  rich. 

Havana^  or  Common  Sweet  Orange,  is  a  well-known 
variety  of  good  size  and  rough  rind ;  pulp  yellow,  and 
well  filled  with  delicious  juice. 

Bergamoti — Has  small  flowers  and  pear-shaped  fruit. 
The  leaves,  fruit,  and  flowers  are  all  very  fragrant,  and 
much  used  by  perfumers. 

Otaheitan  Orange, — Is  a  very  small  variety,  and  makes 
a  beautiful  bush  in  the  green-house  ;  fruit  small  and  round ; 
color  pale  orange ;  flesh  rather  dry,  but  sweet  and  pala- 
table ;  has  winged  leaves  same  as  the  common  orange. 

The  Lemon9  ( Citrus  Limonium^  is  cultivated  like  the 
orange,  but  has  longer,  lighter  colored  leaves,  with  naked 
petioles  or  footstalks ;  flowers  tinged  with  red  exter- 
nally; fruit  oblong,  with  a  swollen  point ;  pale  yellow 
color,  with  an  acid  pulp.  Used  mostly  for  flavoring, 
and  lemonade  and  other  cooling  drinks.  The  trees  are 
usually  very  productive. 

The  Lime 9  ( Citrus  Limettd). — Has  smaller  flowers  than 
the  lemon,  which  are  white ;  fruit  small,  round,  and  pale 
yellow  color,  with  a  slight  protuberance  at  the  end  ;  very 
acid.  Used  for  the  same  purposes  as  the  lemon.  The 
green  fruit  makes  a  delicious  preserve. 

Citron,  (Citrus  Medico). — Has  large,  oblong,  wingless 
leaves  ;  flowers  tinged  with  red  or  purple ;  the  fruit  is  very 
large  and  lemon  shaped,  with  warts  and  furrows.  Rind 
thick  and  fragrant,  pulp  sub-acid.  Used  for  preserves. 

Shaddock,  (Citrus  Decumana).  —  Has  leaves  winged 
like  the  orange ;  flowers  white ;  fruit  globular,  and  very 
large,  weighing  often  six  to  eight  pounds ;  rind  very  thick ; 
pulp  dry,  sweetish,  or  sub-acid,  but  not  very  desirable, 
except  for  its  showy  appearance. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AXD   CULTURE.  385 


PEACH. — (Amygdcdus  Persica.) 

The  Peach  is  a  native  of  Persia,  whence  its  cultivation 
has  proceeded  westward ;  but  it  has  nowhere  found  a  soil 
or  climate  more  congenial  to  it  than  in  these  Southern 
States.  Indeed,  the  peach  is  the  favorite,  and  in  many 
instances  the  only,  fruit  tree  cultivated  by  our  planters.  It 
requires  a  soil  of  but  moderate  fertility ;  its  enemies  and 
diseases  are  but  few,  and  the  return  so  speedy  that  there 
is  no  excuse  for  being  without  good  peaches.  We  entire- 
ly escape  the  yellows  and  the  curled  leaf,  I  believe,  except 
in  the  case  of  Northern  imported  trees,  which  generally 
recover,  though  checked  for  a  season.  The  peach  borer  is 
very  abundant,  but  from  the  luxuriant  growth  of  the  trees 
it  seldom  causes  their  death.  The  worm  in  the  fruit  is 
very  annoying,  especially  in  the  white-fleshed  varieties ; 
it  is  best  prevented  by  permitting  pigs  and  fowls  to  con- 
sume all  the  fallen  fruit  of  the  orchard  as  it  drops. 

The  Peach-Tree  Borer. — (Trochilium  exitiosum.) — 
The  moth  comes  abroad  from  midsummer  until  October. 
Its  body  is  of  steel-blue  color,  with  an  orange  band  around 
the  middle  of  the  abdomen  of  the  female.  Her  wings  are 
blue,  while  those  of  the  male  are  clear  and  glossy.  The 
eggs  are  deposited  the  latter  part  of  summer,  at  the  base 
of  the  trunk,  on  the  soft  bark ;  when  hatched  they  bore 
their  way  under  the  bark,  sometimes  proceeding  upwards 
along  the  trunk,  at  other  times  downward  into  the  root. 
Its  presence  is  made  known  in  spring  by  the  effusion  of 
gum ;  as  it  does  not  penetrate  the  wood,  it  is  easily  traced 
by  its  holes  under  the  bark.  The  worm  is  soft,  white, 
with  a  tawny,  yellowish-red  head,  and  sixteen  feet,  grow- 
ing to  over  half  an  inch  in  length.  It  forms  a  tough, 
pod-like  cocoon  on  the  side  of  the  root,  jutting  just  above 
the  surface.  Remedies  are  various.  Haul  the  earth  from 
the  collar  of  the  tree,  clean  away  the  gum,  and  cut  out 
17 


386  GAEDEN1NG   F0K  THE   SOUTH. 

the  grub  with  a  knife  and  kill  it ;  or  pour  scalding  water 
into  his  haunts  from  the  spout  of  a  tea-kettle,  which  will 
kill  the  grub  and  benefit  the  tree ;  leave  the  basin  about 
the  root  of  the  tree  open,  and  reexamine  a  few  days  later, 
as  some  of  the  worms  may  have  escaped.  Where  the 
mercury  does  not  usually  sink  below  8°  during  the 
winter,  it  is  best  to  leave  the  collar  of  the  tree  uncovered 
and  exposed  to  the  action  of  frost  during  winter.  In 
spring,  a  small  mound  of  ashes,  or  slaked  lime,  or  even 
earth,  should  be  placed  about  the  base  of  the  trunk,  which 
will  render  the  borer  less  likely  to  attack  the  tree.  These 
should  be  spread  over  the  surface  in  autumn.  The  trees 
should  be  closely  examined  in  autumn  and  spring. 

A  somewhat  serious  difficulty  in  peach  culture  is  the  re- 
sult of  bad  pruning.  It  is  the  tendency  to  overbear  and 
break  down  the  limbs  from  the  excess  of  the  crop.  More 
peach  trees  are  destroyed  or  badly  injured  from  this  cause 
than  any  other.  Peach  trees  should  always  be  pruned  by 
cutting  off  the  extremities  of  the  branches,  so  as  to  leave 
about  one-half  of  the  last  year's  growth.  The  fruit  is  pro- 
duced on  these  small  branches  ;  and  by  reducing  the  top 
in  this  manner,  overbearing  is  prevented,  the  fruit  is 
effectually  thinned,  and  is  larger,  finer  flavored,  and  nearly 
as  much  fruit  can  be  taken  from  each  tree  without  danger 
of  breaking.  The  tree  is  also  kept  low  and  close,  and 
more  trees  and  larger  crops  can  be  grown  to  the  acre. 

This  method  of  pruning  is  called  shortening  in,  or  head- 
ing in,  and  is  expeditiously  done  with  pruning  shears. 
Old  trees  that  have  got  out  of  shape  can  be  pruned  and 
brought  into  a  symmetrical  form  by  sawing  off  limbs  of 
two  or  three  years'  growth  at  or  near  the  forks ;  by  this 
method  old  trees  can  be  renewed  in  vigor  as  well  as  in 
form.  Pruning  can  be  performed  at  any  time  when  the 
leaves  are  off.  If  it  is  wished  to  make  young  trees  pro- 
duce early,  they  may  be  shortened  in  the  last  of  July,  the 
year  they  are  transplanted.  Care  should  be  taken  that 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  387 

the  branches  do  not  divide  into  forks,  as  they  are  exceed- 
ingly apt  to  split  when  bearing  a  crop  of  fruit.  The  peach, 
like  all  other  fruit  trees,  should  branch  low,  say  within 
two  feet  of  the  ground,  and  be  kept  in  a  pyramidal  or  round 
form,  as  nearly  as  can  be  done. 

The  loss  of  the  fruit  by  decay  as  it  approaches  maturity 
is  more  annoying  than  anything  else  in  peach  culture. 

If  the  season  is  warm  and  wet,  very  few  kinds  ripen 
well  if  on  moist  or  rich  earth  or  soil.  There  is  a  very 
common  opinion  that  peaches  propagated  from  the  stones 
of  unripe  fruit  are  more  liable  to  rot  than  those  from 
stones  or  pits  of  fully  ripened  fruit ;  some  also  think  decay 
is  caused  by  planting  the  trees  too  deep.  It  is,  however, 
certain,  that  some  varieties  are  much  more  subject  to  de- 
cay than  others  placed  in  the  same  position. 

The  most  suitable  soils  to  ripen  sound  and  high  flavored 
fruit  are  dry,  but  moderately  fertile ;  hills  and  hill  sides 
generally  are  the  best  locations  for  the  peach ;  thinning 
the  fruit  so  that  no  two  peaches  touch  each  other  is  very 
necessary  in  order  to  prevent  decay.  The  peach  is  most- 
ly used  in  its  fresh  state  for  the  dessert,  and  is  generally 
considered  the  most  delicious  fruit  of  temperate  climates. 
When  allowed  to  ripen  on  the  tree,  it  is  the  most  whole- 
some of  fruits,  and  as  an  article  of  food  is  considerably  nu- 
tritious. Peaches  are  also  used  for  pies,  are  preserved  in 
brandy  and  sugar,  and  are  excellent  when  dried  for  winter 
use.  For  culinary  purposes,  the  Clings  are  most  preferred. 
Peaches  and  cream  form  a  delicious  dessert  dish. 

For  drying  take  those  of  the  best  quality,  just  as  they 
are  ripe  enough  to  eat ;  halve  them,  remove  the  stones,  and 
sprinkle  over  them  a  little  nice  sugar,  and  dry  them  in  a 
brick  oven,  moderately  warm.  Thus  prepared  the  aroma 
and  flavor  are  preserved,  and  they  are  free  from  insects. 
If  the  peaches  were  fully  ripe,  no  cooking  will  be  required, 
but  when  used  they  are  simply  soaked  in  cold  or  warm 
water.  Sufficient  sugar,  varying  with  the  acidity  of  the 


388  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

fruit,  is  added  before  drying.  The  firm,  yellow  fleshed 
are  the  best  for  drying.  Peaches  thus  prepared  are  only 
inferior  to  the  fresh  fruit,  as  they  retain  much  of  the 
flavor.  Dried  in  the  usual  way  from  unripe  fruit,  exposed 
to  the  sun,  much  of  the  flavor  is  dissipated.  Peaches  are 
excellent  preserved  in  self-sealing  cans,  which  now  can  be 
purchased  at  reasonable  prices. 

Lime,  potash,  and  the  phosphates,  are  the  chief  elements 
the  peach  requires  in  the  soil.  Bone-dust  and  wood  ashes 
are  valuable  applications,  much  more  suitable  than  com- 
mon animal  manures.  They  may  be  dressed  with  com- 
post of  woods'  earth,  or  swamp  muck,  if  the  soil  is  very 
poor. 

When  the  trees  are  planted,  the  holes  may  be  made 
large,  and  enriched  with  well-decayed  manure,  to  give  a 
good  growth  of  wood.  For  this  purpose  guano  is  an  ex- 
cellent application ;  but  it  is  fatal  to  the  tree  if  it  comes  in 
contact  with  the  roots.  I  have  applied  it  with  success  to 
all  kinds  of  fruit  trees.  After  the  holes  are  dug,  a  little 
guano  is  sprinkled  in  them;  this  is  then  covered  with 
about  two  inches  of  good  mould,  on  which  the  tree  is 
planted.  When  the  tree  is  planted,  another  sprinkling  of 
guano  may  be  added,  and  covered  with  a  little  more 
earth;  two  or  three  tablespoonfuls  are  sufficient  for  a 
tree,  and  but  a  small  quantity  is  required  for  a  large  or- 
chard. For  this  purpose,  as  well  as  for  manuring  most 
shrubs,  rose  bushes,  etc.,  few  applications  are  so  cheap 
and  satisfactory.  After  the  tree  begins  to  fruit,  applica- 
tions of  lime,  ashes,  or  leaf  mould  are  much  better  than 
those  which  excite  growth,  as  they  do  not  impair  the 
flavor  of  the  fruit  or  induce  decay. 

The  peach  is  best  propagated  by  budding  and  grafting 
upon  seedling  peach  stocks.  There  are,  however,  many 
varieties  of  the  clings,  particularly,  that  reproduce  them- 
selves from  the  seed,  especially  if  the  tree  from  which  the 
stone  is  taken  stands  apart  from  other  varieties.  It  is  be- 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  389 

lieved  that  the  stone  of  a  seedling  is  more  apt  to  repro- 
duce its  kind,  than  if  taken  from  a  budded  tree.  Seed- 
lings often  escape  frosts  that  are  fatal  to  the  finer  varie- 
ties, but  the  highest  flavored  varieties  of  seedlings  are 
often  quite  as  susceptible  of  injury  as  those  budded  or 
grafted ;  those  varieties  bearing  large  flowers  are  much 
less  liable  to  be  injured  by  frost  than  those  having  small 
ones. 

Plum  stocks  are  recommended  by  foreign  writers;  but 
they  are  of  little  use  in  this  climate,  for  the  graft  soon  out- 
grows the  stock,  and  breaks  off.  Peach  stocks  are  raised 
by  planting  the  stones  two  or  three  inches  deep,  in  the  au- 
tumn or  winter.  If  the  stones  are  cracked,  they  are  more 
sure  to  grow.  Abundance  of  stocks  can  often  be  pro- 
cured, by  taking  the  volunteers  that  spring  up  under  the 
trees  in  early  spring,  when  about  an  inch  high,  and  trans- 
planting in  rows  three  feet  apart,  and  one  foot  in  the  row. 
Plant  them  in  good  soil  where  they  will  grow  rapidly ;  if 
the  season  is  good  they  will  be  of  sufficient  size  to  bud  in 
August.  When  the  inserted  buds  start  in  the  following 
spring,  the  stocks  may  be  cut  down  to  within  two  inches 
of  the  bud,  and  then  keep  rubbing  off  the  shoots  or  rob- 
bers for  at  least  two  months  ;  otherwise  the  inserted  buds 
will  be  overpowered  by  them,  and  die,  or  make  but  feeble 
growth. 

The  buds  had  best  be  inserted  in  the  north  side  of  the 
stock  to  screen  them  from  the  sun.  Peach  trees  raised,  or 
varieties  originating  in  the  Northern  States  are  not  at  all 
unfitted  for  our  climate,  yet  there  is  some  risk  of  import- 
ing trees  from  the  North  on  account  of  diseases  peculiar 
to  that  section  from  which  Southern  raised  trees  arc  ex- 
empt. 

Some  varieties  of  European  fruits  are  found  to  succeed 
better  here  than  where  they  originated,  but  as  a  general 
rule,  all  fruits  succeed  best  in  their  native  locality. 

Peach  trees  in  transplanting  are  set  twenty  feet  apart 


390 


GARDENING   FOB   THE   SOUTH. 


each  way,  which  gives  one  hundred  and  eight  trees  to 
the  acre.  They  may,  if  shortened  in  yearly,  be  set  fifteen 
feet  apart,  which  will  give  one  hundred  and  ninety-three 
trees  to  an  acre ;  in  gardens  fifteen  feet  is  generally  the 
best  distance. 

Peaches  are  so  mucli  alike  in  general  character — the 
difference  in  outline,  color,  flavor,  and.  texture  being  less 
than  with  other  plants, — that  it  is  necessary  in  order  to 
determine  the  name  of  a  variety  to  resort  to  other 
methods  of  distinction. 

The  two  most  obvious  distinctions  or  divisions  are  into 
freestones  and  clingstones ;  or,  as  we  call  them,  soft,  and 

plum  peaches ;  the 
^  v\  N I  flesh  of  the  former 
parting  freely  from 
the  stone,  and  being 
of  a  melting  con- 
sistency ;  and  that 
of  the  latter  named 
sorts  adhering  to 
the  stone,  and  being 
of  a  firmer  texture. 
The  English  give 
to  these  divisions  the  names  of  *'  melters  "  and  "  pavies." 
Both  these  grand  divisions  are  subdivided  into  classes 
according  to  the  color  of  the  flesh,  viz. :  those  with  light 
colored,  and  those  with  deep  yellow  flesh.  These  classes 
are  again  divided  into  three  sections.  At  the  base  of  the 
leaf  of  some  varieties  will  be  found  small  glands,  which 
are  either  round  and  regular,  or  oblong  and  irregular,  or 
kidney  shaped;  while  others  have  no  glands,  but  are 
more  deeply  cut  or  serrated  like  the  teeth  of  a  saw. 

Hence  the  three  sections,  viz. :  1.  Leaves  serrated, 
without  glands,  #,  fig.  98  ;  2.  Leaves  with  small,  round, 
or  globose  glands,  &,  fig.  98 ;  8.  Leaves  with  large,  ir- 
regular, reniform  or  kidney-shaped  glands,  o,  fig.  98. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  391 

From  the  blossom  another  characteristic  is  derived, 
giving  us  two  subsections:  the  first  embracing  large 
flowers,  red  in  the  centre,  and  pale  at  the  margin;  the 
second,  small  flowers,  tinged  with  dark  red  at  the  margin. 
Most  native  peaches  in  this  vicinity  have  large  flowers, 
but  the  great  mass  of  the  finer  varieties  have  small 
flowers. 

Varieties. — The  following  varieties  have  been  tried  in 
this  vicinity,  and  are  found  among  the  most  desirable. 
They  are  classed  pretty  much  in  the  order  of  ripening.  A 
full  list  of  good  clingstones,  in  succession,  from  the  begin- 
ing  to  the  end  of  the  peach  season,  is  yet  to  be  obtained. 
All  named  are  good  bearers, 

Columbus  June i — Glands  reniform;  flowers  small;  fruit 
medium  to  large,  flattened,  or  slightly  hollowed  at  the 
apex ;  suture  shallow ;  skin  pale  yellowish-white,  with  a 
rich  red  cheek ;  flesh  slightly  red  at  the  stone,  melting, 
juicy,  and  high  flavored ;  excellent.  Ripens  here  June 
20th.  Free. 

Halo's  Early. — Glands  globose;  fruit  medium,  nearly 
round ;  skin  mottled  red,  cheek  dark  red ;  flesh  white, 
melting,  juicy,  and  high  flavored ;  flowers  large.  Tree 
vigorous,  healthy,  and  an  abundant  bearer,  ripening  ten 
days  or  two  weeks  before  any  other  good  variety.  Free. 
(Thomas.) 

Early  Tillottson,— Leaves  deeply  serrated,  without 
glands ;  fruit  medium,  round ;  skin  nearly  covered  with 
red  ground ;  color  pale  yellowish-white,  dotted  with  red, 
the  cheek  being  quite  dark  ;  flesh  white,  red  at  the  stone, 
to  which  it  adheres  slightly,  although  a  freestone  ;  melt- 
ing, rich,  and  juicy,  with  a  high  flavor.  Ripens  from  the 
15th  to  the  20th  of  June.  Free. 

Serrate  Early  York, — Leaves  serrate,  glandless ;  flowers 
large ;  fruit  medium,  roundish  oval ;  suture  slight ;  skin 
thickly  dotted  with  pale  red  on  a  greenish- white  ground, 


392  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

dark  red  in  the  sun ;  flesh  greenish-white,  tender,  melting, 
full  of  rich,  slightly  acid  juice.  Ripens  June  20th.  Free. 

Walter's  Early,— Glands  globose ;  flowers  small ;  fruit 
above  medium ;  color  nearly  white,  with  a  fine,  red  cheek ; 
flesh  whitish,  slightly  red  at  the  stone,  melting,  juicy, 
sweet,  and  fine  flavored ;  not  so  easily  injured  by  frost  as 
some  others ;  likes  sandy  soil ;  succeeds  as  far  South  as 
Mobile.  Ripens  July  1st.  Free. 

Early  Newington  Free, — Glands  globose,  flowers  large ; 
fruit  medium  to  large,  round ;  suture  distinct ;  skin  dull 
yellowish-white,  dotted  and  streaked  with  red,  cheek  rich 
red ;  flesh  white,  red  at  the  stone,  to  which  it  partially 
adheres;  juicy,  melting,  and  vinous.  Ripens  early  in 
July. 

George  4th.  —  Glands  globose;  flowers  small;  fruit 
large,  round,  with  broad  suture ;  skin  white,  dotted  with 
red,  cheek  rich  dark  red ;  flesh  pale,  melting,  very  juicy, 
with  rich, luscious  flavor;  stone  small  Ripens  July  10th. 
Free. 

Gross  Mignonnc. — Glands  globose ;  flowers  large ;  fruit 
large,  roundish,  apex  depressed ;  suture  distinct ;  skin 
dull  white,  mottled  with  red,  and  with  a  purplish-red 
cheek ;  flesh  red  at  the  stone,  melting,  juicy,  with  a  rich 
vinous  flavor ;  stone  small  and  very  rough ;  perhaps  the 
best  freestone  peach  in  cultivation.  Ripens  July  10th. 
Free. 

Crawford's  Early. — Glands  globose;  flowers  small; 
fruit  yellowish-white,  with  a  fine  red  cheek ;  flesh  yellow, 
melting,  sweet,  and  excellent.  Ripens  middle  of  July. 
Free. 

Belle  de  Bcaucaire, — Glands  globose;  flowers  small; 
fruit  very  large,  roundish,  with  a  protruding  point ;  suture 
shallow,  but  distinctly  marked;  skin  yellowish-green, 
with  a  red  cheek ;  flesh  pale  greenish-yellow,  red  at  the 
stone,  a  Kttle  coarse,  but  melting  and  delicious,  full  of 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE.  393 

rich,  vinous  juice ;  skin  slips  readily  from  the  flesh  with- 
out the  use  of  a  knife.  Ripens  last  of  July.  Free. 

Oidmixon  Cling, — Glands  globose  ;  flowers  small ;  fruit 
large,  roundish  oval ;  suture  at  the  top ;  skin  yellowish- 
white,  dotted  with  red,  cheek  red ;  flesh  light,  melting, 
juicy,  and  rich,  with  a  high,  luscious  flavor.  Ripens  last 
of  July,  and  early  in  August. 

Late  Red  Rareripe. — Glands  globose ;  flowers  small ; 
fruit  large,  roundish  oval;  skin  downy;  color  grayish- 
white,  marbled  with  red  in  the  sun ;  flesh  pale,  juicy, 
melting,  and  of  a  rich,  luscious  flavor.  Ripens  last  of 
July. 

Late  Admirable. — Glands  globose ;  flowers  small ;  fruit 
large,  roundish  oval ;  suture  distinct ;  apex  swollen,  acute  ; 
skin  pale  yellowish-green,  with  a  pale  red  cheek,  marbled 
with  .  dark  red ;  flesh  pale,  melting,  and  fine  flavored. 
Ripens  August  10th  to  15th.  Free.  A  superb  peach. 

Crawford's  Late.  —  Glands  globose  ;  flowers  small ; 
very  large,  roundish;  suture  shallow,  but  distinct;  skin 
yellow,  with  dark  red  cheek ;  flesh  deep  yellow,  red  at  the 
stone,  juicy,  and  melting,  with  rich,  vinous  flavor.  Ripens 
early  in  August.  Free. 

Newington  Cling. — Leaves  serrate :  flowers  large ;  fruit 
large,  roundish  ;  suture  slight ;  skin  pale  yellowish-white, 
with  a  fine  red  cheek ;  flesh  pale  yellowish-white,  deep 
red  at  the  stone ;  melting,  juicy,  and  rich.  Ripens 
August  10th. 

Lemon  Cling, — Glands  reniform;  flowers  small;  leaves 
long ;  fruit  large,  oblong,  narrowed  at  the  top,  with  a 
swollen,  projecting  point ;  skin  dark  yellow,  reddened  in 
the  sun ;  flesh  fine  yellow,  red  at  the  stone,  flavor  rich 
and  vinous.  Ripens  August  10th. 

President « — Glands  globose  ;  large,  roundish  oval ;  su- 
ture shallow;  skin  downy,  pale  yellowish-green,  with  a 
dull  red  cheek ;  flesh  pale,  but  deep  red  at  the  stone,  very 
17* 


394  GARDENING  FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

v 

juicy,  melting,   and   high  flavored;   stone   very  rough. 
Ripens  August  15th.    Free. 

Blanton  Cling1. — Leaves  large  -  glands  reniform ;  fruit 
large,  and  shaped  like  Lemon  Cling,  with  the  same  pro- 
jecting point;  color  rich  orange,  with  a  slightly  reddened 
cheek;  flesh  orange  yellow,  firm,  but  full  of  delicious 
vinous  juice.  Later  and  better  than  Lemon  Cling. 
Reproduces  itself  from  seed.  Ripens  August  10th. 

Tippacanoc* — Glands  reniform;  flowers  small;  fruit 
very  large,  nearly  round,  with  a  point ;  skin  yellow,  with 
a  fine  red  cheek;  flesh  yellow,  juicy,  with  a  fine  vinous 
flavor.  Ripens  August  20th.  Cling. 

Van  Buren's  Golden  Dwarf. — Glands  reniform ;  flowers 
small ;  fruit  large,  nearly  round,  with  a  swollen  point ; 
suture  deep ;  skin  yellow,  beautifully  dotted  and  marbled 
with  carmine ;  flesh  yellow,  firm,  with  plenty  of  juice, 
vinous ;  leaves  large  and  close,  dark  rich  green.  Tree  a 
dwarf,  growing  to  the  height  of  2  or  3  feet.  A  fine  fruit, 
and  very  distinct  from  the  Italian  dwarf,  which  is  a  white 
freestone,  and  of  very  poor  quality.  Ripens  August  15th. 
A  very  ornamental  variety.  Cling. 

Chinese  Cling. — Leaves  large  and  very  dark  green ;  fruit 
very  large,  sometimes  weighing  one  pound ;  color  creamy 
yellow,  with  a  pale  red  cheek  in  the  sun;  flesh  pale  yel- 
low, coarse,  but  of  good  vinous  flavor,  juicy  enough,  but 
has  a  little  too  much  prussic  acid  flavor.  Tree  a  very 
vigorous  grower ;  flowers  large.  Ripens  August  10th. 

White  English  Cling. — Glands  globose ;  flowers  small ; 
fruit  very  large,  oval ;  suture  slight,  with  a  swollen  point ; 
flkin  clear,  creamy  white,  with  a  slight  hue  of  red  in  the 
sun ;  flesh  white,  free  from  red  at  the  stone,  to  which  it 
firmly  adheres  ;  very  rich,  juicy,  and  high  flavored ;  as  it 
is  free  from  color,  one  of  the  best  for  preserving  in  brandy 
or  sugar.  Ripens  August  20th. 


FEU  ITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  395 

i — Leaves  with  globose  glands;  fruit  medium, 
roundish,  terminated  with  a  small  point;  suture  slight; 
skin  pale  yellow,  nearly  white,  with  a  slight  blush  toward 
the  sun;  flesh  pale  yellow,  melting,  and  juicy,  with  a 
sweet,  pleasant  flavor.  Free.  Ripens  October  1st. 

Baldwin's  Late* — Fruit  large  and  round,  with  a  swollen 
point;  skin  greenish- white,  with  a  pale  red  cheek;  flesh 
firm,  juicy,  and  melting,  and  good  flavored.  Ripe  October 
20th,  and  will  keep  for  several  weeks  hi  the  house.  Free. 

Pride  Of  Autumn*' — Glands  reniform;  flowers  large; 
fruit  medium  size,  oval ;  skin  white,  with  a  red  cheek ; 
flesh  white  and  firm  ;  flavor  vinous,  juicy.  A  fair  Octo- 
ber Cling. 

Eaton's  Golden  (ling, — A  premium  peach  from  N". 
Carolina ;  flowers  large  ;  fruit  large,  and  resembles  Craw- 
ford's Late  in  appearance ;  color  bright  yellow,  marbled 
with  bright  red,  dark  on  the  sunny  side.  The  best  late 
Cling  we  have  yet  seen.  Ripens  October  10th. 


PEAR. — (Pyi'us  communis.) 

The  pear  is  often  found  growing  wild  in  hedges  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  Europe,  China,  and  Western  Asia.  It  is  a 
thorny  tree,  with  upright  branches,  tending  to  the  pyram- 
idal form.  The  wild  fruit  is  exceedingly  harsh  and 
astringent ;  but  no  fruit  whatever  is  more  delicious, 
sugary,  and  melting,  than  its  best  improved  varieties. 
The  pear  was  early  brought  into  cultivation ;  there  were 
thirty-two  varieties  in  Pliny's  time,  yet  they  were  "  but  a 
heavy  fruit,  unless  boiled  or  baked,"  and  it  was  not  before 
the  seventeenth  century  that  it  became  really  worthy  of 
culture  for  the  dessert.  Indeed,  the  majority  of  the  best 
varieties  have  originated  within  the  last  fifty  years.  The 


396    .       GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

pear,  under  favorable  circumstances,  is  a  long-lived  tree. 
The  Endicott  pear  tree,  still  living  in  Danvers,  Mass.,  was 
planted  by  Gov.  Endicott,  in  1628,  or  eight  years  after 
the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims. 

M.  Bosc  mentions  trees  in  Europe  which  are  known  to 
be  400  years  old.  Even  in  this  State,  trees  that  were  in 
full  bearing  forty  years  ago  are  still  healthy,  vigorous, 
and  productive.  It  will  endure,  in  suitable  soils,  greater 
extremes  of  heat  than  the  apple,  succeeding  well  in  lati- 
tudes too  warm  for  the  latter  fruit  to  flourish.  It  is  better 
adapted  to  southern  climates  than  the  apple,  while  in  cold 
climates  it  succeeds  as  well. 

The  pear  is  the  most  delicious  of  fruits  for  the  dessert ; 
and,  in  this  latitude,  by  choosing  proper  varieties,  we  are 
able  to  have  them  ten  or  eleven  months  of  the  year.  The 
finer  kinds  often  sell  in  the  cities  for  one  or  two  dollars 
per  dozen.  It  is  excellent  for  baking,  preserves,  and  mar- 
malade. It  may  be  dried  like  the  apple  and  peach,  and, 
with  or  without  sugar,  will  keep  for  years.  Perry  is 
made  from  the  juice,  as  cider  from  the  apple.  The  wood 
is  fine-grained  and  compact,  and,  dyed  black,  is  used  in 
place  of  ebony. 

Dessert  pears  should  have  a  sugary,  aromatic  juice,  and 
a  soft,  melting,  subliquid  texture.  Some  few  of  a  crisp, 
firm,  or  breaking  consistency,  are  very  good.  Pears  for 
stewing  or  baking  should  be  large,  firm-fleshed,  and 
moderately  juicy.  The  harsh,  austere  kinds  are  thought 
best  for  perry. 

Gathering  and  Preserving  the  Fruit. — Most  varieties 
of  the  pear  are  much  better  if  picked  from  the  tree  before 
fully  ripe,  and  ripened  in  the  house.  Indeed,  some  few 
kinds,  like  the  Heathcote,  Bartlett,  and  Van  Assche  will 
r^pen  well  if  gathered  at  any  time  after  they  are  half 
grown.  When  a  few  begin  to  turn  yellow  and  ripen  on 
the  tree,  then  gather  the  whole  crop. 

Many  of  the  most   delicious  varieties,  if  allowed  to 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND    CULTURE.  397 

ripen  on  the  tree,  become  dry,  insipid,  and  only  second 
or  third  rate.  They  will  also  ripen  more  gradually,  last 
longer,  and  be  less  liable  to  loss  or  injury,  if  ripened  in 
the  house.  It  is  said,  however,  a  few  varieties  do  best  to 
ripen  on  the  tree.  When  gathered,  some  few  kinds  ripen 
more  perfectly  by  exposing  them  to  the  light  and  air- 
Most  of  them  do  best,  however,  in  kegs  or  small  boxes,  or 
on  the  shelves  of  a  cool,  dark  fruit  room,  each  one  sepa- 
rately enveloped  in  paper  or  loose  cotton.  This  is  not 
necessary  with  the  summer  varieties.  Pears,  like  apples, 
must  be  gathered  by  hand,  with  the  same  precaution  to 
prevent  bruises,  or  they  will  soon  decay.  Winter  pears 
should  hang  as  long  as  may  be  upon  the  tree.  A  week  or 
two  before  their  proper  time  to  ripen,  bring  them  from 
the  fruit  room  into  a  warm  apartment;  this  will  much 
improve  their  flavor. 

Propagation  and  Culture. — Pears  are  propagated  by 
budding  or  grafting  on  seedling  pear  stocks  or  on  certain 
varieties  of  the  quince.  Pear  suckers  should  never  be 
employed  for  this  purpose,  for  they  seldom  have  good 
roots,  and  the  trees  are  short-lived ;  a  great  deal  of  prej- 
udice exists  against  pear  culture -from  this  cause.  Seed- 
lings raised  from  the  thrifty-growing  kinds  that  are  found 
about  the  country  are  much  more  healthy  than  those 
raised  from  the  improved  varieties. 

Sow  the  seed  thickly  in  autumn,  in  drills  eighteen  inches 
apart,  or,  better  still,  mix  the  seed  with  sifted  sand  in  a 
box,  and  place  it  out  doors  during  winter,  and  sow  in 
the  spring,  when  they  begin  to  sprout,  in  good,  rich 
earth;  the  latter  mode  saves  the  seed  from  being 
destroyed  by  ground  mice. 

Ashes  are  an  excellent  application  to  the  seed  bed  j  the 
soil  should  be  moist,  as  much  of  the  value  of  the  stocks 
depends  on  vigorous  and  continued  growth  the  first 
season.  Take  up  the  stocks  in  November  or  December, 
shorten  the  tap-root,  and  reset  them  in  rows  four  feet 


398  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

apart,  putting  those  together  which  are  of  about  the  same 
size.  The  best  of  them,  if  in  a  good,  rich  soil,  will  be  fit 
to  bud  during  the  next  summer,  and  nearly  all  the  balance 
can  be  whip-grafted  the  ensuing  spring. 

Many  kinds  of  pears  grow  well  on  the  quince,  and  come 
some  years  earlier  into  bearing.  We  have  found  the 
common  quince  to  be  equally  as  good  as  the  Angers,  when 
worked  side  by  side  with  them.  The  fruit  produced  from 
trees  worked  on  the  quince  is  usually  larger  and  better 
flavored  than  on  the  pear,  and  the  trees  can  be  set  much 
nearer  together.  They  come  into  bearing  in  two  or  three 
years,  but  are  not  as  long-lived  as  when  worked  on  the 
pear  stock.  In  planting  the  trees,  on  pear  stocks,  they 
should  be  set  twenty  feet  apart;  but  as  these  will  be 
several  years  before  they  come  into  bearing,  the  spaces 
should  be  filled  up  with  dwarf  trees,  growing  on  the 
quince  stock,  so  as  to  have  them,  when  planted,  ten  feet 
apart.  Thus  a  plantation  of  sixteen  trees,  set  in  a  square, 
on  the  pear  stock,  would  require  thirty-three  on  the  quince 
to  fill  the  intervals — making  a  square  of  seven  trees  on  a 
side.  This  will  prevent  the  attacks  of  the  quince  borer, 
and  add  to  the  longevity  of  the  tree. 

The  soil  must  be  kept  clean  and  well  tilled ;  but  it 
should  not  be  deeply  spaded  within  two  feet  of  the  trunks 
of  the  trees.  No  fruit  tree  will  be  healthy  or  bear  well 
if  the  ground  is  deeply  spaded  near  its  stem.  The  pear 
likes  a  deep,  strong  loam,  similar  to  that  required  by  the 
apple.  Iron  is  beneficial ;  hence  the  pear  succeeds  well  in 
our  red  clay  loam,  if  deeply  dug  and  sufficiently  manured. 
For  pears  on  the  quince  stock,  the  soil  should  be  deep  and 
cool.  From  the  analysis  of  the  wood  and  bark  of  the 
pear  tree,  it  is  apparent  that  wood  ashes  and  superphos- 
phate of  lime  cannot  but  be  very  beneficial  to  the  growth 
and  fruitfulness  of  the  pear. 

In  pruning  the  pear,  the  object  is  to  make  it  throw  out 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  399 

branches  within  a  foot  of  the  ground,  and  to  encourage 
its  growth  in  its  natural  pyramidal  shape. 

Not  much  priming  is  required  the  first  year ;  "but  any 
shoot  tli at,  by  over-growth,  threatens  to  destroy  the 
beauty  of  the  tree  should  be  pinched  in  at  once.  When 
the  tree  is  transplanted,  if  it  has  been  out  of  the  ground  for 
any  length  of  time  it  must  be  severely  shortened  in.  If 
the  tree  has  good  roots,  the  top  will  soon  be  renewed. 
Severe  pruning  at  this  time  is  the  only  way  to  make  the 
tree  branch  out  near  the  ground,  so  as  to  shade  the  trunk 
and  give  a  fine  pyramidal  shape.  To  secure  this,  plant 
maiden  trees,  or  those  one  year  old  from  the  bud.  When 
they  have  grown  one  year,  cut  back  the  branches  in 
the  winter;  pinch  in  any  shoots,  during  the  summer, 
that  would  mar  the  symmetry  of  the  tree,  or  remove  them 
entirely,  if  superfluous. 

Head  back  the  leader  each  year,  to  strengthen  the  side 
branches.  The  leader  must  be  shortened  more  or  less, 
according  to  its  vigor.  A  little  practice  will  enable  any 
one  of  ordinary  judgment  to  form  his  trees  in  the  desired 
shape.  Do  not  let  the  branches  remain  so  close  together 
that,  when  they  come  to  bear,  they  will  cause  the  fruit  and 
foliage  in  the  interior  to  suffer  from  want  of  air ;  keep  the 
lower  shoots  the  longest  by  pinching  those  above,  when 
disposed  to  overgrow  them.  This  makes  a  beautiful  tree, 
ornamental  even  for  a  flower  garden. 

The  great  obstacle  in  pear  culture  is  the  blight,  a 
disease  whose  virulence  is  almost  peculiar  to  this  fruit 
tree.  The  causes  are  not  well  known ;  some  attribute 
it  to  insects,  others  to  electrical  causes,  and  others  to 
atmospheric  causes,  and  yet  others  to  late  and  immature 
growth  of  wood,  which  is  frozen  the  subsequent  winter. 

Yet,  notwithstanding  all  these  theories  and  proposed 
remedies,  the  blight  goes  on  from  year  to  year  with  un- 
abated violence. 

With  us,  the  past  three  years  have  been  particularly 


400  GARDENING  FOB  THE   SOUTH. 

disastrous,  for,  out  of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  trees, 
not  more  than  twenty  have  escaped  the  pestilence.  The 
frozen  sap  theory  has  been  a  very  plausible  and  favorite 
one  with  Northern  pomologists,  but  is  not  the  correct  one, 
for  the  reason  that  the  sap  never  freezes  here  in  our  warm 
climate. 

There  is  but  one  remedy  for  the  disease  that  we  have 
ever  had  any  success  with,  and  that  is  the  free  use  of 
the  saw  and  knife.  Cut  off  the  diseased  limb,  or  trunk,  a 
foot  below  the  lowest  affected  spot,  and  you  may  some- 
times save  the  life  of  the  tree,  but  not  always. 

Whenever  the  leaves  begin  to  wither,  or  the  tree  ceases 
growing,  at  once  examine  the  trunk  and  larger  limbs  for 
the  gangrened  spot,  which  is  sure  to  be  on  one  or  both ; 
when  you  have  once  discovered  the  diseased  spot,  don't  hesi- 
tate, but  amputate  it  at  once ;  it  will  result  in  the  death 
of  the  tree  if  you  let  it  go  on,  and  it  can  do  no  more  if 
you  kill  it  by  a  surgical  operation. 

We  have  thus  far  found  no  difference  in  good,  bad,  and 
indifferent  cultivation.  In  our  vegetable  garden,  where  the 
soil  is  rich  and  well  cultivated,  we  have  lost  by  blight, 
within  the  last  three  years,  at  least  three-fourths  of  our 
trees,  and  in  our  orchard,  in  sod,  and  in  moderate  cultiva- 
tion, about  the  same  proportion.  Dwarfs  and  standard 
trees  have  fared  alike. 

Query. — Have  we  not  poisoned  the  whole  race  of  pears 
by  working  it  on  the  quince  stock?  For  this  tree  is  subject 
to  the  Bame  disease,  and  when  it  attacks  it,  it  usually 
dies.  If  so,  how  are  we  to  get  out  of  the  scrape? 
Sowing  seeds  and  raising  new  ones  will  not  help  us ;  for 
the  seeds  themselves  are  impregnated  with  the  virus,  which 
will,  sooner  or  later,  manifest  itself.  The  only  remedy 
will  be  to  go  back  to  such  trees  as  the  Endicott,  Dix, 
and  Seckel ;  sow  the  seeds  from  these,  and  get  a  new, 
pure,  and  unadulterated  race  to  begin  with,  and  keep  them 
clear  from  the  quince  stock. 


FRUITS.  -  VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


401 


A  greater  number  of  varieties  of  the  pear  are  in  cultiva- 
tion than  of  any  other  fruit.  Of  those  that  have  fruited 
here,  the  following  are  the  most  desirable.  The  varieties 
do  not  always  observe  with  us  the  order  as  laid  down  in 
the  books  : 

Joaanet.  —  The  earliest  pear  with  us,  ripening  in  May  ; 
but  it  is  small,  and  of  indifferent  quality,  though  it  bears 
well,  and  is  desirable  to  fill  out  the  season. 

Madeleine  comes  next  in  succession  ;  fruit  medium,  obo- 
vate,  tapering  to  the  stem,  which  is  long  and  slender,  set 
on  the  side  of  a  small  swelling  ;  skin  smooth,  yellowish- 
green  ;  calyx  small,  in  a  shallow  basin  ;  flesh  white,  melt- 
ing, juicy,  sweet,  and  perfumed.  Ripe  from  the  1st  to 
the  15th  of  June. 

Abercromby,  —  A  seedling  from  Alabama  ;  size  medium 

to  large  ;  ovate  in  form  ; 
greenish-gray  color,  with 
a  blush  cheek;  flesh 
white,  juicy,  and  rich; 
stem  short  and  fleshy  ; 
the  best  large  early  pear 
we  have.  Ripens  June 
10th.  Tree  a  poor 
grower. 

Doyenne    d'Ettf.   — 

Fruit  small,  roundish, 
slightly  turbinate;  skin 
smooth,  light  yellow, 
shaded  with  bright  red, 
sprinkled  with  small 
gray  or  russet  dots  ; 
stalk  rather  short,  thick, 

?esh/  7*ere.  inserted 

m  the  fruit,  m   a  very 
slight  depression  ;  calyx  small,  partly  closed  in  a  shallow, 


402 


GARDENING   FOK   THE   SOUTH. 


slightly  corrugated  basin;  flesh  white, melting,  juicy,  and 
sweet.     The  best  very  early  pear;   ripens  with,  and  supe- 


Fig.  100.— BEURRE  BOSC. 

rior  to,  the  Madeleine ;  in  Georgia  early  in  June,  in  New 
York  last  of  July.     Tree  vigorous ;    an  early  and  profuse 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND   CULTURE. 


403 


bearer;   leaves  long,  oval,  pointed,  and  dark  green;  seeds 
dark. 

Beurre  BOSC. — Fruit  large,  pyriform,  somewhat  uneven, 
tapering  gradually  to  the  stalk ;  skin  smooth,  dark  yel- 
low, nearly  covered  with  rich  cinnamon  russet ;  stalk  varies 
sometimes,  being  large  and  fleshy,  as  in  the  figure,  or  long, 
rather  slender,  and  curved ;  flesh  white,  melting,  buttery, 
abounding  in  rich,  sugary,  and  delicious  juice,  slightly  per- 
fumed. Ripens,  Georgia,  in  September  and  into  October; 
New  York,  October  and  November.  Tree  healthy  and 
productive. 

Louise  Bonne  dc  Jersey, — Fruit  large,  oblong,  pyri- 
form ;  skin  smooth, 
glossy,  pale  green  in  the 
shade,  brownish-red  in 
the  sun,  sprinkled  thick- 
ly with  minute  dots; 
stalk  about  an  inch  long, 
obliquely  inserted  with- 
out depression  or  with  a 
fleshy  base ;  calyx  small, 
open,  with  rather  long 
segments,  in  a  shallow, 
uneven  basin ;  flesh 
greenish  -  white,  very 
juicy  and  melting, 
and  excellent.  Ripens, 
Georgia,  August  10th, 
and  through  the  month ; 
New  York,  September 
and  October.  The  tree 
is  an  upright,  vigorous  grower,  forming  a  fine  pyramid. 
The  fruit  is  much  better  on  the  quince  than  on  the  pear. 

Dearborn's  Seedling, — Tree  vigorous,  with  long,  dark 
brown  shoots,  fruitful  and  healthy ;  fruit  small,  turbinate, 
regular ;  skin  very  smooth,  clear  light  yellow,  sprinkled 


101.— DEARBORN'S  SEEDLING. 


404 


GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 


with  minute  dots ;  stalk  an  inch  or  more  long,  sometimes 
erect,  inserted  in  a  slight  depression,  but  in  my  specimens 
generally  as  in  the  figure ;  calyx  with  spreading  segments, 
in  a  shallow  basin;  flesh  white,  fine  grained,  juicy,  and 
melting,  sweet  and  sprightly,  not  rich.  Ripens  in  Georgia, 
early  in  July ;  in  New  York,  middle  of  August ;  valuable. 
BloodgOOd, — Fruit  medium,  turbinate,  (at  the  South 

often  oblate,)  generally 
thickening  abruptly  to 
the  stalk ;  skin  yellow, 
considerably  russeted  in 
dots  and  net  -  work 
patches ;  calyx  large, 
open,  in  a  slight  depres- 
sion ;  stalk  obliquely  in- 
serted, about  an  inch 
long,  dark  brown,  fleshy 
at  its  base ;  flesh  yellow- 
ish-white, buttery,  with 
a  rich  musky  aroma, 
melting  and  sweet ;  core 
small.  Georgia,  last  of 
June ;  New  York,  last  of 
July.  Generally  larger 
than  in  the  figure. 

Manning's  Elizabeth. 
— Growth  of  tree  moder- 
ate ;  shoots  reddish,  dotted  with  brown ;  fruit  rather  small, 
regular  oblate  inclining  to  obovate,  or  Doyenne-shaped ; 
skin  smooth,  bright  yellow,  dotted  with  russet,  with  a 
bright  red  cheek ;  stalk  scarcely  an  inch  long,  often  a  lit- 
tle fleshy  at  its  base,  inserted  in  a  shallow,  regular  cavity ; 
calyx  open,  in  a  broad,  shallow  basin ;  flesh  white,  juicy, 
melting,  with  a  sprightly  saccharine  flavor.  Ripens, 
Georgia,  July  10th ;  New  York,  middle  and  last  of  Au- 
gust. The  best  pear  of  its  season ;  productive. 


Fig.  103.— BLOODGOOD. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND   CULTURE*  405 

Bartlctt* — Fruit  large,  irregular,  knobby,  obtuse-pyri- 
form,  often  much  more  oblong  than  in  the  figure ;  skin 
very  thin,  smooth,  clear  light  yellow,  with  a  slight  blush 
in  the  sun,  sprinkled  with  minute  russet  dots  and  with 


Fig.  103.—  BARTLETT. 

faint  russet  markings  towards  the  stem ;  stnlk  about  an 
inch  long,  stout,  in  a  shallow  cavity;  calyx  small,  partly 
open,  in  a  very  shallow,  slightly  plaited  basin ;  flesh  white, 
exceedingly  fine-grained,  melting,  full  of  agreeable,  vinous 
juice.  Ripens,  Georgia,  through  August;  New  York, 


406 


GARDENING    FOR  THE   SOUTH. 


September.  Specimens  that  fall  before  they  are  fully 
grown,  ripen  nicely  in  the  house.  Sometimes  too  acid, 
but  one  of  the  most  desirable  sorts.  Origin,  England, 
1770.  Tree  quite  fruitful,  and  bears  young. 

Henry  the  Fourth. — Fruit  varies  from  the  size  figured 
to  small,  roundish  pyriform,  irregular,    skin  pale  greenish- 


Fig.  104. — HENRY  THE  FOURTH. 

yellow,  clouded  with  darker  green,  and  dotted  with  gray 
specks ;  stalk  about  an  inch  long,  twisted  obliquely,  plant- 
ed on  an  irregular  prominence,  or  under  a  swollen  lip ; 
calyx  small,  closed ;  basin  shallow  and  abrupt ;  flesh  white, 
exceedingly  juicy  and  melting,  with  a  pleasant  perfumed 
flavor ;  a  dull  fruit  externally,  but  a  nice  dessert  pear, 
bearing  abundantly,  and  continues  several  weeks  to  ripen 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


407 


successively.  Ripens,  Georgia,  from  the  20th  of  July  in- 
to September ;  New  York,  September. 

Brandywme, — Fruit  above  medium,  varying  from  ob- 
late-cTepressed-pyriform  to  elongated  pyriform ;  skin  yel- 
lowish-green, dotted 
and  sprinkled  with 
russet,  with  a  bright 
red  cheek ;  stalk 
fleshy  where  it  joins 
the  fruit ;  calyx 
open ;  basin  shallow ; 
flesh  white,  juicy, 
melting,  sugary,  and 
somewhat  aromatic. 
Georgia,  ripe  the 
middle  of  July ; 
New  York,  the  last 
of  August.  Growth 
vigorous  and  up- 
right ;  leaves  small, 
deep  glossy  green; 
productive. 

Doyenne,  White. 

—The  White   Doy- 

105.— BRANDT  WINE.  enne,   or   Virgalieu, 

is  one  of  the  most  esteemed  pears.  Fruit  medium  to  large 
size,  generally  larger  than  the  figure,  varying  from  obo- 
vate-pyriform  to  oblate ;  skin  clear  pale  yellow,  regularly 
sprinkled  with  small  dots,  with  a  fine  red  cheek ;  stalk 
from  one-half  an  inch  to  over  an  inch  long,  generally  a 
little  curved,  and  planted  in  a  small,  round  cavity ;  calyx 
small,  closed,  in  a  shallow,  generally  smooth  basin;  flesh 
white,  fine-grained,  buttery,  melting,  with  a  rich,  delicious 
flavor.  Ripens,  Georgia  in  August ;  New  York,  Septem- 
ber to  December. 


408  GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

Selleck. — Fruit  varies  from  obovate  to  obtuse-pyriform, 
somewhat  ribbed ;  skin  fine,  rich  yellow,  thickly  dotted 
and  sprinkled  with  russet,  full  russet  about  the  base  of  the 
stalk ;  stalk  long  and  curved,  fleshy  at  its  insertion  in  a 
moderate  cavity ;  calyx  partly  closed,  in  a  small,  uneven 


Fig.  106.— SELLECK. 

basin;  flesh  white,  firm,  juicy  and  melting,  sugary,  with 
a  rich,  aromatic  flavor;  keeps  well  without  decay  at  the 
core ;  a  very  valuable  sort.  Ripens,  in  Georgia,  20th  of 
August ;  New  York,  in  September. 

Van  AsschCt — Tree  vigorous  and  fruitful,  with  reddish- 
brown  shoots  and  plump  buds;  fruit  medium,  or  large, 
turbinate,  inclining  to  conical,  in  very  large  specimens  ob- 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  400 

late ;  skin  light  yellow,  with  numerous  russet  and  red  dots, 
with  a  bright  red  cheek ;  stalk  an  inch  long,  rather  stout, 
obliquely  planted  in  a  slight  depression;  calyx  partly 
closed,  in  a  broad,  deep,  and  wrinkled  basin ;  flesh  white, 


Fig.  107. — VAN  ASSCHE. 

fine-grained,  juicy,  with  a  delicate  blending  of  sweet  and 
acid,  and  a  rich,  excellent  flavor.  Ripens,  August  in 
Georgia ;  October,  in  New  York ;  generally  larger  than 
the  engraving. 

Nabours,— Fruit  medium  to  large,  varying  from  oblate 
to  obovatc  and  obscure  pyriform ;  skin  greenish,  rough, 
often  with  dull  russet,  and  sprinkled  with  white  dots; 
stalk  slender,  long,  curved  a  little,  fleshy  at  the  base,  and 
set  in  a  slight  depression ;  calyx  small,  partly  closed,  set 
in  a  deep,  narrow  basin :  flesh  whitish,  melting,  fine-grain- 
18 


410  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

ed,  buttery,  abounding  in  sugary  juice.  Where  suffered 
to  overbear,  or  hang  too  long  upon  the  tree,  it  lacks  flavor ; 
otherwise  good.  From  North  Carolina,  Tree  healthy 
and  vigorous,  with  stout  shoots ;  very  productive. 

Duchesse  d'AngOllltfme.  —  Fruit  very  large,  obovato, 
varying  from  oblong  to  oblate,  with  a  knobby,  uneven 
surface ;  skin  dull  greenish-yellow,  dotted  and  spotted  with 

russet;  stalk  about 
an  inch  long,  quite 
stout,  set  with  an  in- 
clination in  a  rather 
deep  cavity;  calyx 
closed,  set  in  a 
narrow,  somewhat 
knobby  basin ;  flesh 
white,  buttery,  very 
juicy,  with  a  rich, 
sugary  flavor.  Ex- 
cellent for  so  large 
a  pear.  Brings  the 
very  highest  prices 
in  market.  Ripens, 
Georgia,  the  latter 
half  of  August  into 
September ;  New 
York,  in  October. 
Fig.  108.— SECKEL.  From  France. 

Seckcl. — Fruit  small,  generally  obovate ;  skin  at  first 
brownish-green,  at  last  becoming  yellowish-brown,  with  a 
bright  red,  russet  cheek;  stalk  half  to  three-fourths  of  an 
inch  long,  slightly  curved,  set  in  a  slight  depression  ;  calyx 
small,  open,  in  a  very  shallow  basin ;  flesh  whitish,  but- 
tery, very  fine-grained  and  melting,  filled  with  rich,  sugary, 
aromatic  juice.  Ripens,  Georgia,  the  last  half  of  August 
and  into  September ;  New  York,  September  and  October. 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE. 


411 


Tree  of  slow  growth,  but  remarkably  healthy  and  pro- 
ductive. Origin,  Philadelphia.  This  is  by  many  consid- 
ered, and  perhaps  justly,  the  very  best  variety  of  pear. 


.  109. — BEURRE   CLAIRGEAU. 


Bcurrc  €lairgeail.—  Fruit  large,  pyriform,  with  unequal 
sides ;  skin  warm  yellow,  inclining  to  fawn,  thickly  sprink- 
led with  large,  yellow  dots,  with  russet  tracings  and  spots, 


412  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

shaded  with  orange  and  crimson  ;  stalk  short  and  stout, 
often  fleshy,  and  inserted  by  a  lip  at  an  inclination,  or  in 
an  uneven  cavity ;  calyx  open,  with  stiff  segments ;  flesh 
yellowish,  buttery,  very  melting  and  juicy,  with  a  sugary, 
vinous  flavor.  Ripens,  Georgia,  September  to  October 
10th ;  New  York,  October  to  January.  A  beautiful  fruit, 
often  so  much  larger  and  broader  than  the  cut,  that  it 
could  not  be  figured  on  this  page.  Tree  vigorous,  and  an 
early  and  profuse  bearer. 

Compte  de  Flandre. — Fruit  large,  pyriform ;  skin  yel- 
lowish, dotted  and  marked  with  russet,  particularly  about 
the  stalk ;  stalk  long,  inclined  in  a  shallow,  plaited,  russet- 
ed  cavity ;  calyx  open,  set  in  a  shallow  basin ;  flesh  whit- 
ish, buttery,  juicy,  a  little  coarse  or  granular,  rich,  but  some- 
what astringent  near  the  skin.  Ripens,  Georgia,  the  mid- 
dle of  September  and  lasts  into  October ;  New  York,  No- 
vember. This  pear  considerably  resembles  Passe  Colmar, 
which  it  excels  in  size  and  flavor. 

Belle  Lucrative. — Fruit  medium,  obovate  to  obscure 
pyriform ;  skin  pale  yellowish-green,  with  dots  and  traces 
of  russet ;  stem  varying  from-  short,  stout,  and  fleshy,  to 
more  than  an  inch  long,  often  obliquely  inserted  in  a  slight 
cavity ;  calyx  open,  in  a  medium  basin ;  flesh  fine-grained, 
melting,  full  of  rich,  sugary,  and  delicious  juice.  Ripens, 
Georgia,  in  August ;  New  York,  last  of  September.  A 
Flemish  variety.  Tree  of  moderate  growth,  very  fruitful, 
and  bears  young ;  one  of  the  very  best. 

St.   Michael   Archangel. — Fruit  above   medium  size, 
obovate-pyriform ;     skin    smooth,    shining,   greenish-yel- 
low, sprinkled  with  russet  dots ;   stalk  an  inch  long,  in 
clined,  fleshy  at  its  insertion,  and  surrounded  by  russet 
calyx  small  and  closed;    basin  small  and  uneven;    flesh 
yellowish-white,  tender  and  melting,  abundant  in  sugary 
juice,  with  an   agreeable  perfume;    an  excellent  fruit. 
Tree  healthy,  vigorous,  and  fruitful.    Ripe,  Georgia,  last 
of  August ;  New  York,  October. 


FRUITS. VARIETIES    AND    CULTURE.  413 

Catherine  Gardcttf. —  Fruit  roundish-obovate,  some- 
times obscure  pyriform;  skin  light  yellow,  with  russet 
dots  and  markings,  with  carmine  dots  to  the  sun ;  stalk 
an  inch  long,  curved,  a  little  fleshy  at  its  base,  inserted  in 
a  slight,  generally  russeted,  depression ;  calyx  small,  in  a 


Fig.  110. — STERLING. 

narrow  basin ;  flesh  fine,  buttery,  melting,  sweet,  and  with 
a  delicate  perfume.     Ripens,  Georgia,  early  in  October. 

Sterling". — Fruit  medium,  and  varying  from  oblate  to 
obovate,  or  obscure  pyriform ;  skin  yellow,  with  a  few 
russet  patches,  and  a  mottled  crimson  cheek ;  stalk  medi- 
um, inserted  in  a  slightly  plaited  cavity;  calyx  small, 
open,  in  a  medium  basin ;  flesh  somewhat  coarse,  juicy, 
melting,  with  a  sugary,  brisk  flavor.  Ripens,  Georgia, 


414  GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

July  15th;  New  York,  the  last  of  August.  Keeps  a  long 
time  after  gathering,  and  is  an  excellent  fruit  to  send  to  a 
distant  market.  Very  desirable.  Tree  vigorous  and  up- 
right, with  yellowish-brown  wood.  An  early  and  pro- 
ductive bearer. 

Beurre  Richelieu. — Fruit  large,  pyriform,  sometimes 
truncate ;  skin  greenish,  changing  to  yellow,  with  russet 
dots  and  markings ;  stalk  short,  fleshy  at  the  base,  inserted 
by  a  lip  and  inclined,  in  a  broad  depression ;  calyx  small, 
closed,  in  a  furrowed  basin ;  flesh  buttery,  melting,  juicy, 
with  a  fine,  sweet,  aromatic  flavor.  Georgia,  October; 
New  York,  December.  Tree  vigorous  and  productive. 

PaSSC  (  olmar, — Fruit  large,  varying  from  obovate  to 
obtuse-pyriform ;  skin  rather  thick,  yellowish-green,  turn- 
ing yellow  when  mature,  a  good  deal  russeted  about  the 
eye  and  at  the  base  of  the  stalk ; '  stalk  rather  long,  often 
fleshy  at  its  base,  inserted  in  an  uneven  cavity;  calyx 
open,  in  a  slight,  regular  basin;  flesh  yellowish,  fine, 
melting,  and  juicy,  with  a  sweet,  rich,  aromatic  flavor.  A 
rapid  grower  and  profuse  bearer,  but  if  the  fruit  is  not 
well  thinned,  it  will  be  small  and  astringent.  Georgia, 
October  and  November ;  New  York,  December. 

GlOUt  Morcean. — Fruit  large,  varying  in  form  from 
obovate  to  obtuse-pyriform,  and  often  depressed  some- 
what ;  skin  pale  greenish-yellow,  marked  with  small  dots, 
russeted  about  the  stem,  with  a  brownish  cheek  on  the 
more  exposed  fruits ;  stem  long,  slender,  in  a  slight  cavity ; 
calyx  mostly  open,  in  a  rather  deep  basin ;  flesh  white, 
fine-grained,  very  melting,  juicy,  sugary,  and  perfumed. 
A  fine,  pyramidal,  healthy  grower,  and  quite  fruitful. 
Georgia,  October  and  November ;  New  York,  December. 

Josephine  de  M  alines, — Fruit  medium,  truncate,  ob- 
conic ;  skin  yellowish,  somewhat  russeted,  especially  about 
the  base  and  crown,  and  sprinkled  with  russet  dots ;  stalk 
long,  stout,  curved,  inserted  in  a  moderate,  russet-lined 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  415 

cavity ;  calyx  small,  open,  with  caducous  segments,  in  a 
slight  basin;  flesh  greenish- white,  buttery,  very  juicy, 
sugary,  melting,  and  perfumed.  An  excellent  keeper. 
Georgia,  October  to  January,  and  has  been  kept  until 


Fig.  111.— SOLDAT  LABOUREUB. 


March ;   New  York,  November,  and  through  the  winter. 
Tree  productive  and  vigorous. 

Soldat  Labourcur. — Tree  vigorous,  with  upright,  chest- 
nut-colored wood,  and  succeeds  well  on  the  quince.  Fruit 
rather  large,  oblique-pyriform,  largest  toward  the  centre ; 
skin  smooth,  pale  yellow  when  ripe,  shaded  with  thin 
greenish-russet;  stalk  rather  stout,  about  an  inch  long, 


416  GARDENING  FOK  THE   SOUTH. 

curved,  inserted  in  a  small,  abrupt,  russet-lined  cavity ; 
calyx  open,  scarcely  sunk  in  a  slight  basin ;  flesh  yellow- 
ish, a  little  granular,  melting,  juicy,  sugary,  rich,  and  per- 
fumed. One  of  the  very  finest,  ripening  a  little  later  than 
the  Columbia.  Georgia,  the  middle  of  September ;  New 
York,  October  and  November. 

Belle  Epine  Dumas. — Fruit  medium  or  large,  long-pyri- 
fonn ;  skin  green,  becoming  greenish-yellow  as  it  ripens, 
with  small  brown  dots,  and  at  the  South  is  generally 
somewhat  marked  with  russet  about  the  base  and  stem ; 
stalk  long,  rather  stout,  curved  a  little,  swollen  at  the 
base,  inserted  in  a  slight  depression ;  calyx  small,  partly 
closed,  in  a  shallow,  regular  basin ;  flesh  white,  fine,  melt- 
ing, juicy,  rich,  sugary,  and  perfumed ;  core  medium, 
with  large,  long,  pointed  seeds.  Georgia,  October ;  New 
York,  November  and  December. 

Parsonage, — Fruit  medium  or  large,  obovatc,  inclining 
to  obtuse-pyriform ;  skin  warm  yellow,  rough,  often  shad- 
ed with  dull  crimson,  netted  and  thickly  dotted  with  rus- 
set; stalk  short,  stout,  curved,  fleshy  at  its  insertion; 
calyx  open,  with  short,  stiff  segments,  in  a  russeted,  shal- 
low basin ;  flesh  white,  somewhat  coarse,  granular,  sugary, 
and  refreshing.  In  Georgia  it  has  kept  until  November. 
Tree  fruitful  and  healthy. 

BeiHTtf  Gris  d'Hiver  NOTCau, — Fruit  medium  to  large, 
obovate-truncate,  obscurely  pyriform ;  skin  pale  yellow, 
mostly  overspread  with  golden  russet,  with  a  crimson 
cheek ;  stalk  stout,  inclined  and  curved,  inserted  by  a  lip, 
or  in  a  slight  wrinkled  depression ;  calyx  open,  in  a  mod- 
erate basin ;  flesh  somewhat  granular,  buttery,  melting, 
abundant  in  rich,  sugary  juice,  with  a  peculiar  aroma. 
Georgia,  October ;  New  York,  November  to  February. 

Doyenne  d' Alcneon*  —  Fruit  medium,  varying  from 
roundish  oval  to  obovate  or  pyriform ;  skin  rough  yellow, 
shaded  with  dull  crimson,  dotted  thickly  and  sprinkled 


FIIUITS. — VARIETIES    AND    CULTUIIE. 


417 


with  russet;  stalk  rather  short,  stout,  in  a  medium  cavity  ; 
calyx  small,  mostly  closed  ;  flesh  somewhat  granular,  but- 
tery, juicy,  sugary,  rich,  sprightly,  and  perfumed.  Georgia, 
November  to  January ;  New  York,  December  to  March. 


Fig.  112.— COLUMDIA. 


Columbia* — Fruit  large,  oblong-obovate,  or  pyriform, 
often  simply  obovate,  broadest  in  the  middle;  skin 
smooth,  pale  green,  turning  yellowish  when  ripe,  with  a 
soft  brown  cheek,  dotted  with  russet,  with  a  little  russet 
also  about  the  stalk  and  calyx ;  stalk  about  an  inch  long, 
18* 


418  GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

rather  stout,  slightly  curved ;  calyx  small,  partly  closed, 
in  a  shallow  basin ;  flesh  white,  fine-grained,  melting,  and 
abundant  in  rich,  sugary  juice.  Ripens,  in  Georgia,  from 
the  15th  of  August  to  the  last  of  September,  and  is  not 


113.— ST.    GEBMAIN. 

excelled  by  any  other  pear ;   in  New  York,  November, 
and  is  said  to  be  variable  there,  but  generally  fine. 

St.  Germain.  —  Fruit  large,  irregular^-  oval-pyriform, 
tapering  to  the  eye  and  stalk ;  skin  yellowish-green,  a  good 
deal  covered  with  russet,  with  a  brown  cheek ;  stem  stout, 
swollen  at  its  insertion,  generally  planted  obliquely  by  the 
side  of  a  small,  fleshy  swelling ;  calyx  small,  open,  in  a 
very  shallow  basin ;  flesh  yellowish-white,  a  little  gritty, 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  419 

melting,  juicy,  rich,  and  sugary.  Georgia,  October  and 
November;  New  York,  November  and  December.  This 
is  one  of  the  most  desirable  pears  grown  at  the  South. 
Tree  healthy  and  productive,  and  the  smallest  fruits  always 
of  excellent  flavor. 

Winter  Nelis. — Fruit  medium  to  small,  varying  from 
oblate  to  roundish 
obovate ;  skin  yel- 
lowish -  green,  but 
generally  a  good 
deal  covered  with 
russet;  stalk  an  inch 
long,  curved,  and 
planted  in  a  narrow 
cavity ;  calyx  open, 
in  a  shallow  basin, 
with  stiff,  short  seg- 
ments ;  flesh  pale 
yellowish- white,  fine-  j 
grained,  buttery  and 
melting,  abounding 
in  rich,  sugary,  aro- 
matic juice.  Ripens, 
Georgia,  in  October ; 
New  York,  Dec.  Fig.  114.— WINTER  NELIS. 

Lawrence. — Fruit  large,  obovate,  obscurely  pyriform; 
stalk  rather  short,  inclined,  inserted  by  a  lip  or  in  a  slight, 
regular  depression;  cavity  generally  partly  closed,in  a  broad 
shallow  basin ;  skin  fine  lemon  yellow,  uneven,  sprinkled 
thickly  with  small  dots ;  flesh  white,  a  little  granular,  but- 
tery, with  a  very  rich,  sugary,  aromatic  flavor.  Georgia, 
September  20th  to  October  20th ;  New  York,  November 
to  January.  Tree  of  moderate  growth,  very  healthy ;  an 
early  and  abundant  bearer.  Far  the  most  desirable  pear 
of  its  season. 


420  GARDENING    FOR   THE    SOUTH. 

Easter  Beurrtf, — Fruit  large,  obovatc  or  obtuse-pyri- 
form;  skin  yellowish-green,  sprinkled  with  large  russet 
dots,  and  marbled  somewhat  with  greenish-russet ;  stalk 
rather  stout,  in  abrupt  cavity ;  calyx  usually  small,  closed, 
in  a  plaited  basin ;  flesh  white,  fine-grained,  buttery,  juicy, 


Fig.  115. — EASTER  BETJRBE. 

and  sweet.     Georgia,  November  to  March ;    New  York, 
January  to  May.     Succeeds  best  on  quince. 

Jamincttc* — Fruit  large,  varying  in  form  from  obovate, 
narrowing  to  the  stalk,  to  oblate ;  skin  green,  turning  to 
pale  yellowish-green  when  ripe,  dotted  with  brown,  and 
marked  with  russet ;  stalk  rather  short,  obliquely  planted 
in  a  slight  depression,  (in  obovate  specimens  without  de- 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AIO>   CULTURE.  421 

pression,)  and  surrounded  with  russet;  calyx  small,  open, 
in  a  slight  basin ;  flesh  white,  a  little  gritty  at  the  core, 
juicy,  buttery,  and  sweet.  A  good  fruit,  but  must  be 
eaten  as  it  begins  to  soften,  or  will  be  found  decayed  at 
the  core.  Georgid,  October. 


PLUM. — (Prunus  Domestica.) 

The  plum  tree  is  probably  a  native  of  Asia,  whence  it 
was  early  introduced  into  European  gardens.  The  tree 
grows  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high,  and  is  conspicuous 
early  in  spring  for  its  white  blossoms. 

London  asserts  that  it  is  probable  the  natural  color  of 
the  fruit  is  black;  but  the  cultivated  varieties  are  of 
various  shades  of  green,  yellow,  red,  and  blue.  It  is  a 
delicious  dessert  fruit,  in  its  best  varieties,  and  is  very 
much  esteemed  for  pies,  tarts,  and  preserves. 

It  is  also  dried  for  winter  use.  The  prune,  or  dried 
plum,  enters  considerably  into  commerce.  When  fully 
ripe,  plums  are,  in  moderate  quantity,  very  nutritious  and 
wholesome,  but  in  an  unripe  state  are  more  apt  to  dis- 
agree with  the  stomach  than  most  other  fruits. 

Prunes  are  dried  by  artificial  heat.  They  are  laid 
singly,  without  touching  each  other,  on  plates,  which  are 
placed  in  ovens,  after  the  bread  is  removed,  or  in  kilns 
prepared  for  the  purpose,  and  occasionally  moved  and 
turned.  In  order  to  have  them  fair  and  glossy,  they  must 
be  suddenly  cooled  when  taken  from  the  oven.  They 
should  be  dried  carefully  and  gradually.  They  are  excel- 
lent when  dried  with  sugar,  as  directed  for  peaches. 
From  the  analysis  of  the  stones,  bark,  leaves,  and  wood, 
it  is  evident  that  common  salt  is  one  of  the  most  essential 
manures  to  apply  to  the  soil  in  which  the  plum  is  culti- 


422  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

vated.     Burnt  clay,  swamp  muck,  common  salt,  and  wood 
ashes,  are  amon<*  the  best  fertilizers. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  —  The  plum  is  generally  bud- 
ded or  grafted  upon  stocks  raised  from  the  seed  of  some 
free-growing  variety.  The  Chickasaw  plum,  however, 
makes  a  very  good  stock;  it  should  be  grafted  at  the 
collar,  and  transplanted  so  deep  that  the  scions  can  throw 
out  roots.  This  stock  makes  very  pretty  dwarf  trees  for 
the  garden.  By  this  mode,  the  tree  can  be  propagated 
at  any  time  during  the  winter  months. 

Stone  fruits  require  to  be  grafted  early  in  the  season. 
In  transplanting  where  they  are  to  remain  they  should  be 
twelve  feet  apart.  The  best  soil  for  the  plum  is  a  heavy 
clay  loam,  moderately  rich.  The  fruit  is  better  in  a  clay 
soil  than  in  a  sandy  one,  and  when  planted  in  a  sandy  soil, 
clay  should  be  added.  There  are  three  obstacles  to  be 
overcome  in  raising  the  plum  successfully.  The  first  and 
greatest  is  the  curculio,  which  infests  all  the  smooth- 
skinned  stone  fruits. 


The  Cnrcnlio,  or  Plum  Weevil,  (  Conotrachelus 
pharj)  is  a  short,  thick,  rough  beetle,  of  a  dark  brown  or 
blackish  color,  varied  with  spots  of  "white  and  yellow  ; 
with  a  long  snout  hanging  down  in  front  like  an  elephant's 
trunk.  It  makes  a  small,  crescent-like  incision  upon  the 
side  of  the  plum  and  cherry,  just  after  they  are  set,  in 
which  it  drops  an  egg.  From  this  is  hatched  a  small,  white, 
footless  worm,  which  bores  into  the  fruit,  causing  it  to 
drop  prematurely  from  the  tree.  The  worm  enters  the 
ground,  and  in  three  or  four  weeks  comes  out,  and  the 
successive  broods  attack  the  plum,  apricot,  cherry,  nec- 
tarine, and  peach,  until  the  fruit  ripens.  Their  incisions 
have  been  found  in  the  limbs  of  the  pear  tree.  The  beetle, 
if  discovered,  feigns  death,  and  can  hardly  be  distinguished 
from  the  dried  flower  buds  by  careless  observers.  The 
instinct  of  the  curculio  leads  it  to  avoid  puncturing  frui£ 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  423 

» 

that  hangs  over  a  beaten  path,  a  hard,  paved  surface,  a 
pond  of  water,  or  pigsty,  where  the  larva  would  be  unable 
to  enter  the  soil  or  would  be  destroyed  by  enemies.  It  is 
not  so  destructive  in  clayey  or  hard  soils.  The  remedy 
that  has  hitherto  proved  most  successful  is  to  pave  the 
ground  so  that  the  grub  cannot  enter  it  to  complete  his 
transformation.  Picking  or  sweeping  up  the  fruit  as  fast 
as  it  drops,  and  boiling  it  for  pigs,  before  the  worm  can 

enter  the  earth,  has  also 
been  found  beneficial; 
•likewise  jarring  the  tree 
(by  striking  sharply 
with  a  mallet  on  the 
stump  of  a  limb  removed 
for  the  purpose)  as  soon 
as  the  fruit  is  the  size  of 
a  pea,  and  collecting  the 
insects  on  a  white  sheet 
as  they  fall,  and  destroy- 
ing them.  As  the  in- 
sects are  torpid  in  the 
morning,  that  is  the  best 
time  for  the  operation, 
which  should  be  kept 

Fig.  116.— CURCULIO  MAGNIFIED.  MI  i 

up  until  the    iruit    be- 

begins  to  ripen.  Plant  all  stone  fruits  in  an  enclosure  by 
themselves  in*  which  pigs  and  poultry  are  admitted ;  these 
will  collect  the  fruit  as  fast  as  it  falls,  and  tread  the  ground 
firmly  together,  so  that  it  is  not  easy  for  the  insects  to 
enter  it.  None  of  these  methods  will  be  fully  effectual 
if  there  are  neglected  trees  near  by  from  which  the  insect 
may  emigrate.  The  most  reliable  of  them  is  jarring  the 
trees,  and  destroying  the  insects  daily ;  the  next  is  giving 
access  to  a  large  flock  of  ducks  and  chickens,  which, 
destroying  the  perfect  insect,  are  a  much  more  efficient 
remedy  than  the  pigs  alone.  It  is,  perhaps,  fortunate  to 


424  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

• 

have  the  crop  entirely  cut  off  by  frost,  as  often  as  every 
third  year,  in  order  to  check,  for  a  time,  the  rapid  increase 
of  this  pest  of  the  orchard. 

Another  serious  difficulty  is  the  rot ;  to  prevent  this, 
the  varieties  least  subject  should  be  selected  and  planted, 
with  the  roots  not  too  deep;  and  the  fruit  thinned,  if  very 
abundant  upon  the  tree. 

The  third  obstacle  to  plum  culture  is,  happily,  not  very 
prevalent  in  the  South.  It  is  a  black  knot,  or  excrescence, 
growing  upon  the  bark  and  young  wood.  The  bark  swells 
and  bursts,  and  finally  assumes  the  appearance  of  a 
"  large,  irregular  lump,  with  a  hard,  cracked,  uneven  sur- 
face." The  flow  of  sap  is  obstructed  by  this  tumor,  and 
its  poison  is  gradually  disseminated  over  the  whole  tree. 
The  dark-colored  fruits  are  most  infected.  The  disease 
also  attacks  the  common  Morello  cherry.  It  appeared 
here,  for  the  first  time,  in  the  year  1853,  on  a  tree  from 
the  North.  ISTone  have  appeared  since  that  time.  The 
only  remedy  is  to  cut  off  every  branch  or  twig  that 
shows  a  tumor,  and  burn  it  at  once.  As  the  plum  throws 
out  long,  straggling  branches,  which  are  unsightly  and 
unproductive,  this  should  be  remedied  by  shortening 
in,  as  with  the  peach,  so  as  to  form  a  round,  compact 
head.  Most  stone  fruits  require  to  be  shortened  in, 
more  or  less,  or  the  growth  becomes  unsightly  and  the 
tree  short-lived.  It  is  an  excellent  plan,  where  practicable, 
to  plant  a  tree  or  two  near  the  door  of  the  house  and 
kitchen,  where  there  is  considerable  passing  and  repassing 
and  the  ground  becomes  hard-trodden.  Such  trees  are 
less  infested  by  the  great  enemy  to  stone  fruit — the  cur- 
culio — which  is  quite  a  timid,  as  well  as  cunning,  in  sect. 

VARIETIES. 

Chickasaw. — (Prunus  ChicJcasa.) — A  tree  or  two  of 
both  red  and  yellow  varieties  of  this,  our  indigenous 
plum,  should  be  admitted  into  the  garden.  The  fruit  is 


FRUITS. — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  425 

much  improved,  both  in  size  and  flavor,  by  cultivation. 
Some  trees  produce  better  fruit  than  others.  Leaves 
lanceolate,  and  more  like  the  peach  than  the  plum ; 
branches  thorny;  fruit  small;  skin  either  light  red  or 
yellow;  flesh  yellow,  very  juicy  and  sweet,  but  somewhat 
astringent  about  the  stone,  to  which  it  adheres.  Ripe 
here  about  the  20th  of  May ;  lasts  a  month.  Doubtless 
many  excellent  varieties  will  be  originated  from  this  hardy 
native  fruit.  Some  are  now  found  nearly  free  from  astring- 
ency.  This  plum  appears  to  be  free  from  curculio,  and 
never  fails  to  ripen  a  crop. 

Sea,  or  Early  Purple, — Ripens  8th  of  June,  and  is 
here  the  earliest  of  plums ;  fruit  small,  roundish ;  skin 
brownish-purple,  with  a  slight  bloom;  flesh  greenish- 
yellow,  sweet,  juicy,  and  parts  from  the  stone ;  highly 
perfumed.  This  nice  little  plum  was,  I  believe,  first 
introduced  here  by  some  grafts  received  from  Germany. 
It  does  not  rot. 

Prince's  Yellow  Gage, — Fruit  medium  size,  broadest 
toward  the  stalk ;  suture  slight ;  skin  golden  yellow, 
slightly  clouded,  and  with  copious  white  bloom ;  stalk 
an  inch  long,  inserted  in  a  small  cavity;  flesh  deep 
yellow,  sweet,  juicy,  and  fine  flavored ;  freestone ;  tree 
very  productive ;  fruit  lasts  a  long  time  ;  one  of  the  best 
for  a  long  time  in  this  climate.  Ripe  June  10th. 

iiingham, — Fruit  large,  oval ;  skin  deep  yellow,  spotted 
with  red  toward  the  sun ;  stalk  in  a  small  cavity ;  flesh 
yellow,  juicy,  rich,  and  delicious  ;  clingstone ;  tree  a  fine 
grower  and  good  bearer.  Ripens  July  1st. 

Columbia. — Very  large,  roundish  ;  skin  brownish-pur- 
ple, with  fawn-colored  specks;  bloom  thick  and  blue; 
stalk  an  inch  long,  stout,  in  a  narrow  cavity  ;  flesh  orange, 
not  very  juicy,  sugary,  rich,  and  excellent;  freestone. 
Ripe  June  20th.  A  magnificent  variety,  of  excellent 
quality.  Tree  hardy  and  productive. 


426  GARDENING  FOB  THE  SOUTH. 

Elfry, — Branches  small;  fruit  less  than  medium  size, 
oval;  skin  blue;  flesh  greenish,  sweet,  juicy,  and  excel- 
lent ;  freestone.  In  this  climate,  the  Elfry  is  one  of  the 
most  desirable  of  plums.  It  generally  escapes  the  cur- 
culio  and  the  rot,  if  properly  thinned.  Tree  thrifty  and 
hardy.  An  indispensable  variety.  Ripe  July  1st. 

Jefferson. — Fruit  of  the  largest  size,  roundish  oval; 
stalk  an  inch  long,  pretty  stout;  suture  distinct;  skin 
golden  yellow,  purplish-red  on  the  sunny  side,  and  thinly 
covered  with  white  bloom ;  flesh  deep  orange,  a  little  dry, 
good  ;  not  equal  to  the  description  in  the  books.  As  the 
tree  bears  abundantly,  and  the  fruit  ripens  late,  hangs 
long  on  the  tree,  and  is  entirely  free  from  decay,  it  is 
indispensable.  The  handsomest  of  all  plums.  Ripens 
last  of  July  and  first  of  August. 

Red  Magnum  Bonum,  or  Purple  Egg. — Large  and 
beautiful ;  egg-shaped ;  violet  red,  deeper  in  the  sun,  with 
small  gray  dots ;  flesh  greenish,  rather  firm,  juicy,  and 
agreeably  sub-acid ;  freestone.  A  fair  plum  for  the  table, 
and  makes  the  best  of  preserves.  Ripens  July  10th. 
Not  much  subject  to  rot. 

Washington* — Tree  vigorous;  leaves  large,  broad, 
glossy,  and  rumpled;  wood  light  brown;  fruit  very 
large,  roundish  oval ;  suture  shallow,  except  at  the  stalk ; 
skin  pale  greenish-yellow,  faintly  marbled  with  green, 
changing  at  maturity  to  darker  yellow,  with  a  bright 
blush  in  the  sun ;  stalk  short,  in  a  shallow,  wide  cavity  ; 
flesh  yellow,  firm,  sweet,  and  luscious ;  stone  pointed,  and 
separates  freely.  Ripens,  Georgia,  early  in  July;  New 
York,  the  latter  half  of  August.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  and  desirable  varieties  in  all  sections. 

Harvest  Gage* — Fruit  rather  small,  roundish  oval,  with 
a  slight  suture ;  skin  pale  yellowish-green,  with  a  thin, 
white  bloom ;  stalk  short  and  slender,  in  a  very  slight 
cavity;  flesh  pale  greenish-yellow,  juicy,  sweet,  and 


FRUITS. — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  427 

excellent ;  adheres  to  the  stone.     Ripens  early  in  July  in 
Georgia,  just  before  the  Washington. 

Rivers'  Early  Favorite. — Fruit  medium,  or  a  little 
below,  roundish  oval,  with  a  shallow  suture ;  stalk  very 
short ;  skin  deep  blackish- purple,  sprinkled  with  russet 
dots,  and  covered  with  a  thin,  blue  bloom ;  flesh  greenish- 
yellow,  very  juicy,  sweet,  of  excellent  flavor,  separating 
ireely  from  the  small  stone ;  shoots  slender,  slightly 
downy.  Ripens,  Georgia,  June  15th  to  30th ;  New  York, 
August  1st.  An  excellent,  early,  dessert  plum,  follow- 
ing immediately  the  Jaune  Hative.  Productive. 

Duane's  Purple. — Branches  downy ;  fruit  very  large, 
oblong,  swollen  on  one  side  of  the  suture ;  skin  reddish- 
purple  in  the  sun,  paler  in  the  shade,  dotted  sparsely  with 
yellow  specks,  and  covered  with  lilac  bloom  ;  stalk  slender, 
of  medium  length,  in  a  narrow  cavity;  flesh  amber- 
colored,  juicy,  sprightly,  moderately  sweet,  adhering  par- 
tially to  the  stone.  Ripe,  Georgia,  July  10th;  New 
York,  August  10th,  with  the  Washington. 

Jaune  Hat  ire, — Fruit  small,  roundish  obovate,  with 
a  suture,  generally  shallow  on  one  side ;  stalk  short  and 
slender;  skin  pale  yellow,  with  a  thin,  white  bloom; 
flesh  yellow,  juicy,  of  sweet,  agreeable  flavor ;  freestone. 
The  earliest  plum  to  ripen,  which  it  does  from  the  1st  to 
the  20th  of  June ;  branches  slender  and  downy.  Tree  re- 
sembles Ho  well's  Early. 

Blue  Plum. — A  native  plum,  generally  raised  from 
suckers ;  fruit  medium  size,  roundish,  scarcely  oval ; 
suture  very  obscure ;  skin  dark  blue,  with  a  light  bloom ; 
stalk  half  an  inch  long,  inserted  in  a  shallow  cavity; 
flesh  yellowish-green,  juicy,  sweet,  and  refreshing;  ad- 
heres to  the  stone  ;  shoots  smooth  ;  leaves  rather  small. 
A  very  pleasant  and  agreeable  plum,  and  the  tree  is  a  fine 
bearer.  Does  not  rot. 


428  GARDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 


QUINCE. — (Cydonia  vulgaris.) 

The  quince  is  a  small,  hardy  tree,  seldom  growing  over 
twelve  to  fifteen  feet  in  height ;  thickly  branched ;  with 
ovate  leaves,  whitish  underneath,  on  short  petioles ;  the 
flowers  are  white  or  pale  pink  color,  and  the  fruit  appears 
on  shoots  of  the  same  year's  growth,  varying  in  shape, 
but  having  a  resemblance  to  that  of  the  apple  or  pear.  It 
is,  when  ripe,  highly  fragrant,  and  of  a  fine  golden  yellow 
color,  making  the  tree  quite  ornamental.  Quinces  are 
seldom  eaten  raw,  but  for  baking,  stewing,  preserving, 
marmalades,  or  pies,  along  with  apples,  they  are  much  es- 
teemed. They  are  also  dried  for  winter  use,  giving  an 
excellent  flavor  to  dried  apples  and  peaches. 

For  these  purposes  the  quince  has  been  long  in  cultivation, 
having  been  in  great  esteem  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 
The  mucilage  from  the  seeds  was  formerly  used  in  medi- 
cine instead  of  gum-water.  The  quince  is  propagated 
from  seed,  layers,  slips  or  cuttings,  and  grows  very  readily 
from  the  latter.  Cuttings,  if  planted  about  the  time  the 
buds  commence  swelling  in  the  spring,  rarely  fail  to  grow. 
Quinces  usually  reproduce  themselves  from  seed,  but  oc- 
casionally vary.  Quince  stocks  are  very  much  used  for 
budding  the  pear  upon,  for  which  the  Angers  quince  is 
preferred,  although  we  have  found  the  common  or  apple- 
shaped  equally  good  in  every  respect.  The  quince  likes 
a  deep,  moist  soil  and  cool  exposure,  growing  naturally 
upon  the  banks  of  streams.  It,  however,  grows  to  ad- 
miration in  any  good,  rich,  friable  soil,  and  no  tree  is  more 
benefited  by  manuring,  especially  with  vegetable  manure. 
Salt  is  said  to  act  beneficially  if  applied  during  winter. 
If  applied  occasionally  in  small  doses  at  a  distance  from 
the  trunk,  the  fruit  will  not  drop ;  plant  the  trees  ten  feet 
apart. 

The  quince  is  subject  to  the  blight,  like  the  pear,  and  is 


FRUITS. — DESCRIPTION   AND   CULTURE.  429 

also  attacked  by  the  borer  which  infests  the  apple ;  the 
blighted  portion  must  be  cut  off  and  burned,  as  with  the 
pear.  The  borer  must  be  dug  out. 

The  best  fruit  is  obtained  from  those  trained  in  the  form 
of  a  tree,  but  on  account  of  the  borer  it  is  best  to  use  the 
bush  form  with  three  or  four  main  stems,  so  if  one  is  de- 
stroyed there  are  others  left  to  take  its  place.  Thus  trained, 
the  bush  should  be  moderately  pruned,  or  the  fruit  will  be 
inferior.  If  there  is  an  over-crop,  the  fruit  should  be  thin- 
ned. The  quince  begins  to  bear  when  three  or  four  years 
transplanted.  Varieties : 

Apple  or  Orange-Shaped. — This  is  the  common  variety, 
with  large,  roundish  fruit,  with  a  short  neck ;  skin  light 
golden  yellow ;  flesh  firm,  but  stews  tender ;  leaves  oval ; 
shoots  slender.  If  the  core  be  cut  out  and  the  hole  filled 
with  sugar  and  baked,  it  forms  a  fine  dessert  dish. 

Pear-shaped. — Fruit  large,  pyriform,  oblong,  tapering 
to  the  stalk ;  skin  yellow ;  flesh  of  firmer  texture  than 
when  preserved,  and  not  quite  as  good  in  flavor  and  color 
as  the  former.  Fruit  ripens  a  fortnight  later,  and  when 
picked,  keeps  much  longer;  leaves  oblong-ovate.  Tree 
of  more  vigorous  growth,  but  does  not  bear  so  well. 

Portugal. — Fruit  still  more  oblong,  of  lighter  color, 
milder  flavored,  and  of  better  quality  than  the  preceding 
kinds;  leaf  larger  and  broader ;  shoots  stouter;  ripens 
between  the  other  two ;  a  shy  bearer,  pretty  good  as  a 
stock  for  the  pear.  Tree  larger  than  the  other  varieties. 

Angers* — A  variety  of  the  last,  the  strongest  grower 
of  all  the  quinces,  and  much  used  for  pear  stocks.  The 
fruit  is  said  to  be  larger  and  better  than  any  other  kind. 

Chinese  Quince,  ( Cydonia  Sinensis.) — Leaves  resemble 
those  of  the  common  quince  in  form,  but  have  a  glossy 
surface ;  the  flowers  are  rose-colored,  with  a  delicate  fra- 
grance, similar  to  that  of  the  violet.  The  fruit  is  very 
large,  oblong,  and  somewhat  ribbed  like  a  muskmelon; 


430  GARDENING  FOR  THE  SOUTH. 

ekin  golden  yellow ;  flesh  hard  and  acrid,  but  is  said  to 
make  a  desirable  preserve.  A  very  beautiful  thrub  when 
in  fruit. 


THE  RASPBERRY. 

The  raspberry  is  a  low,  deciduous  shrub,  of  which  sev- 
eral species  are  common  along  the  fences,  both  in  Europe 
and  America.  The  large-fruited  varieties  most  esteemed 
in  our  gardens  all  originated  from  the  long  cultivated 
JRubus  Idceus,  or  Mount  Ida  Bramble,  which  appears  first 
to  have  been  introduced  into  the  gardens  of  the  south  of 
Europe,  from  Mount  Ida.  It  is  now  quite  naturalized  in 
some  parts  of  the  country.  Besides  this  we  have  growing 
wild  the  common  black  and  white  raspberry,  or  Thimble- 
berries,  (Rubus  occidentalis^  and  the  red  raspberry, 
(Rubus  strigosus,)  with  very  good  fruit. 

Uses. — The  raspberry  is  held  in  general  estimation,  not 
only  as  one  of  the  most  refreshing  and  agreeable  fruits  for 
the  dessert,  but  it  is  employed  generally  for  preserving, 
jams,  ices,  sauces,  tarts  and  jellies ;  and  on  a  larger  scale 
by  confectioners  for  making  syrups,  and  by  distillers  for 
making  brandy.  Raspberry  wine  is  made  in  the  same  way 
as  currant  wine,  and  is  considered  the  most  fragrant  of  all 
domestic  wines. 

Propagation. — The  raspberry  is  propagated  by  suckers 
or  by  dividing  the  roots.  The  seeds  are  planted  only  when 
new  varieties  are  desired. 

Soil  and  Culture. — The  best  soil  is  a  rich,  deep  loam, 
rather  moist  than  dry,  provided  it  is  not  too  much  expos- 
ed to  our  hot  Southern  sun.  The  raspberry  succeeds  best 
at  the  South  when  planted  on  the  north  side  of  a  fence  or 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  431 

building,  but  where  it  can  have  the  morning  sun ;  planted 
in  the  shade  of  trees  it  never  does  well.  Give  a  good 
manuring  every  spring  with  well-rotted  stable  manure, 
and  keep  clear  from  grass  and  weeds  with  the  hoe ;  prune 
out  the  old  dead  canes  every  spring.  A  fine  late  crop  can 
readily  be  obtained  by  cutting  over  the  whole  stool,  in  the 
spring,  to  within  a  few  inches  of  the  ground.  They  will 
then  shoot  up  fresh  wood,  which  conies  into  bearing  in 
August  or  September. 

Varieties. — The  finest  raspberries  in  general  cultivation 
for  the  dessert  are  the  Red  and  White  Antwerp,  Fastolf, 
Orange,  Gushing,  French,  Franconia,  and  Philadelphia. 

The  common  American  Red  is  most  esteemed  for  flavor- 
ing liquors,  or  making  brandy  and  cordials;  and  the 
American  Black  is  preferred  by  most  persons  for  cooking. 

The  ever-bearing  varieties  are  esteemed  for  prolonging 
the  season  of  this  fruit. 

Red  Antwerp. — This  variety  is  also  known  as  Old  Red 
Antwerp,  Knevett's  Antwerp,  True  Red  Antwerp,  How- 
land's  Red  Antwerp,  Burley,  etc.  It  is  the  common  Red 
Antwerp  of  England  and  America,  and  is  quite  distinct 
from  the  North  River  variety,  which  is  shorter  in  growth, 
and  has  conical-shaped  fruit.  Canes  strong  and  tall; 
spines  light  red,  rather  numerous,  and  pretty  strong ;  fruit 
large,  nearly  globular,  color  dark  red,  with  large  grains, 
and  covered  with  a  thick  bloom ;  juicy,  with  a  brisk  vinous 
flavor. 

Yellow  Antwerp. — Large,  nearly  conical,  pale  yellow, 
sweet  and  excellent;  canes  strong  and  vigorous,  light 
yellow,  and  spinous ;  bears  a  long  time,  and  does  moder- 
ately well  at  the  South. 

American  Black,  (JKubus  occidental  is.)— Small,  flatten- 
ed, black  or  dark  purple,  with  a  whitish  bloom ;  later  and 
more  acid  than  the  preceding.  This  is  the  well-known 
Thimble-berry ;  succeeds  well  here.  From  its  rich,  acid 


432  GARDENING   FOR  THE   SOUTH. 

flavor  it  is  the  best  for  cooking,  as  in  tarts,  pies,  puddings, 
etc.  It  is  much  improved  by  pruning  and  cultivation; 
should  be  set  at  wider  distances  than  the  other  varieties, 
as  it  grows  more  rampant.  The  Ohio  Ever-bearing  is  a 
variety  of  this,  but  bears  through  the  season. 

American  White. — Similar  to  the  preceding  in  all  re- 
spects, except  the  color  of  the  fruit  and  canes,  which  are 
both  of  a  pale  yellow  and  covered  with  a  white  bloom. 
The  White  is  a  little  sweeter  than  the  Black,  and  ripens 
some  ten  days  earlier.  Both  varieties  are  propagated  by 
the  tips  of  the  canes,  which  droop  upon  the  ground,  and 
then  take  root  and  form  new  plants  or  stools ;  after  these 
have  taken  root  the  old  cane  dies. 

American  Red. — A  sort  of  mongrel  between  the  Ant- 
weip  variety  and  the  American  Black.  Fruit  of  medium 
size,  light  red ;  flavor  not  so  acid  as  the  American  Black 
or  White,  and  more  juicy  than  either  of  those  varieties. 
A  vigorous  grower,  and  succeeds  well  at  the  South ;  canes 
of  a  brownish-red  color  and  with  darker  spines. 

Fastolf. — One  of  the  most  vigorous  of  the  foreign  va- 
rieties, and  does  very  well  in  Georgia.  Fruit  very  large, 
roundish,  conical,  purplish-red ;  tender,  rich,  and  high- 
flavored.  Canes  strong,  erect,  branching,  with  strong 
spines.  The  foregoing  are  all  that  we  can  recommend  for 
Southern  cultivation  from  personal  experience.  The  va- 
riety cultivated  in  the  Northern  States  is  very  large ;  many 
of  them  we  have  tested  here  with  but  poor  success. 


STRAWBERRY. - 

The  botanical  name  of  the  strawberry  is  derived  from 
the  delightful  fragrance  of  the  ripe  fruit.  Its  common 
name  has  arisen  from  the  ancient  practice  of  laying  straw 
between  the  plants,  to  keep  the  ground  moist  and  the 


FRUITS. — VAEIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  433 

fruit  clean.  This  fruit  is  fragrant,  delicious,  and  univer- 
sally esteemed.  The  first  offering  of  the  season,  in  the  way 
of  ripe  fruit,  nothing  that  comes  after  it  can  excel  "  a  dish 
of  ripe  strawberries  smothered  in  cream,"  or  fresh  from 
the  plant.  It  is,  indeed,  the  most  popular  and  wholesome 
of  all  the  small  fruits ;  for,  besides  its  grateful  flavor,  the 
sub-acid  juice  has  a  cooling  quality  peculiarly  acceptable 
in  summer.  In  addition  to  its  excellence  for  the  dessert, 
it  is  a  favorite  fruit  for  making  jams,  ices,  jellies,  and 
preserves. 

The  English  wood  strawberry  was  the  first  brought 
into  cultivation.  Says  old  Tusser,  turning  over  its  culti- 
vation to  the  ladies,  as  beneath  his  attention  : 

"  Wife,  unto  the  garden,  and  set  me  a  plot 
With  strawberry  plants,  the  best  to  be  got, 
Such  growing  abroad,  amid  trees  in  the  wood, 
Well  chosen  and  picked,  prove  excellent  good." 

Plants  taken  directly  from  the  field  into  the  garden  yield 
at  once  a  tolerable  crop.  This  climate  is  well  adapted  to 
the  culture  of  this  fruit,  since  by  giving  the  plants  a  due 
supply  of  moisture,  fruit  can  be  gathered  the  greater  part 
of  the  summer  and  autumn. 

In  its  natural  state,  the  strawberry  generally  produces 
perfect  or  hermaphrodite  flowers  ;  the  hermaphrodite  are 
those  which  have  both  the  stamens  and  pistils  so  well  de- 
veloped as  to  produce  a  tolerably  fair  crop  of  fruit.  Cul- 
tivation has  so  affected  the  strawberry  in  this  respect, 
that  there  are  now  three  classes  of  varieties.  First,  those 
in  which  the  male  or  staminate  organs  are  always  perfect ; 
but  the  female,  or  pistillate  organs,  are  so  defective  that 
they  will  very  rarely  bear  perfect  fruit.  Those  are  called 
staminate.  Second,  those  in  which  the  female,  or  pistil- 
late organs,  are  perfect ;  but  in  which  the  male  organs  are 
generally  so  defective  that  they  cannot  produce  fruit  at 
all,  unless  in  the  neighborhood  of,  and  fertilized  by,  stam- 
inate or  hermaphrodite  plants.  Impregnated  by  these, 
19 


434  QAEDENING  FOE  THE  SOUTH. 

they  bear  enormous  crops.  Third,  those  which,  like  the 
native  varieties,  are  true  hermaphrodites,  that  is,  perfect 
in  stamens  and  more  or  less  perfect  in  pistils,  so  that  they 
generally  produce  a  tolerable  crop,  and,  in  favorable  sea- 
sons, the  pistils  being  fully  developed,  they  will  produce  a 
good  one. 

This  is  called  the  staminate  class  in  some  books.  The 
first  of  these  classes,  the  staminate,  rarely  producing  fruit, 
and  running  exuberantly  to  vine,  should  be  dug  up  wher- 
ever found,  since  the  hermaphrodite  are  productive,  and 
equally  useful  for  fertilizing.  It  is  to  the  pistillate  varie- 
ties, fertilized  by  the  hermaphrodite,  that  we  must  look  for 
large  crops  of  fruit. 

In  beds  of  each  of  these  varieties,  seedlings  will  spring 
up,  differing  from  the  parents;  but  runners  from  any 
variety  will  always  produce  flowers  of  the  same  class  and 
similar  in  all  respects  to  the  parent  plant.  By  the  due 
admixture  of  hermaphrodite  and  pistillate  plants,  five 
thousand  quarts  have  been  picked  from  an  acre  at  Cin- 
cinnati, where  the  strawberry  season  is  usually  less  than  a 
month. 

Potash,  soda,  and  phosphoric  acid  are  the  elements 
most  likely  to  be  wanting  in  the  soil.  Wood  ashes  and 
the  carbonates  of  potash  and  soda  prove  very  beneficial 
applications.  f 

The  good  effects  of  applying  the  phosphates,  or  lime, 
have  not  been  so  apparent,  perhaps,  owing  to  there  being 
enough  already  in  the  soil. 

Propagation  and  Culture. — To  raise  the  strawberry  in 
perfection  requires  good  varieties,  a  proper  location,  care- 
ful cultivation,  vegetable  manure,  mulching  the  roots,  and 
regular  watering. 

The  strawberry  bed  should  be  in  the  lowest  part  of  the 
garden,  succeeding  best  on  a  bottom  near  some  little 
stream  of  water,  where  the  soil  is  moist  and  cool;  no 


FRUITS. — VARIETIES   AND   CULTURE.  435 

trees  or  plants  should  be  allowed  to  overshadow  it,  to 
drink  up  the  moisture  of  the  soil  New  land  is  the  best, 
and  the  most  easily  kept  free  from  weeds.  The  soil  should 
be  dug  or  plowed  deep. 

It  is  not  required  to  be  very  rich,  unless  with  decayed 
vegetable  matter,  as  animal  manures  produce  only  a 
growth  of  vine.  Plant  good,  vigorous  runners  from  old 
stocks,  three  feet  apart  each  way ;  three  rows  of  pistillates, 
and  then  one  row  of  good  hermaphrodites,  and  so  on, 
until  the  bed  or  plot  is  filled ;  cultivate  precisely  as  you 
would  corn,  and  as  often.  As  the  runners  appear,  cut 
them  off,  and  keep  the  plants  in  hills;  this  is  a  much 
better  plan  than  to  permit  them  to  run  together  and 
occupy  the  entire  surface  of  the  ground ;  after  the  beds 
have  done  fruiting,  still  keep  them  clear  from  grass  and 
weeds,  and  when  the  leaves  fall  from  the  trees  in  the  fall, 
give  a  good  coat  of  these  as  a  winter  protection. 

There  is  no  fruit  which  has  been  so  greatly  improved 
within  the  last  ten  years  as  has  the  strawberry,  in  size, 
productiveness,  and  flavor;  it  is  now  as  generally  culti- 
vated as  the  apple  or  any  of  our  standard  vegetables. 
Most  of  the  then  esteemed  varieties  are  now  superseded 
by  new  and  improved  ones,  amongst  which  stand  pre- 
eminent Wilson's  Albany,  Jucunda,  Agriculturist,  Dr. 
Nicaise,  Downer's  Prolific,  McAvoy's  Superior,  and  some 
others. 

VARIETIES. 

Wilson's  Albany. — This  is  the  most  popular  strawberry 
now  under  cultivation  in  the  United  States,  although  not 
of  first  quality  in  flavor,  being  rather  too  acid,  but  as  it  is 
a  very  hardy  variety,  vigorous  grower,  and  very  produc- 
tive, it  will  long  be  a  favorite  fruit  for  domestic  cultiva- 
tion. Fruit  large,  very  dark  red,  conical  in  form,  trusses 
short  and  stout;  leaves  large,  dark  green,  with  short 


436  GARDENING    FOR   THE   SOUTH. 

petioles.  An  enormous  bearer,  and  continues  for  a  long 
time.  One  of  the  most  desirable  varieties.  A  standard 
sort. 

Hovey's  Seedling, — When  we  consider  the  size,  flavor 
of  its  fruit,  and  its  habit  of  long-continued  bearing,  this  is 
one  of  the  finest  of  strawberries.  Like  all  the  pistillate  ber- 
ries, it  needs  a  fertilizer.  It  is  an  old  variety,  and  still 
remains  one  of  the  best,  and  is  excelled  in  flavor  by  few 
of  the  new  kinds.  Leaves  large,  bright  green,  with  long 
petioles,  which  stand  erect ;  fruit  very  large,  conical, 
bright  scarlet ;  seeds  slightly  imbedded  ;  flesh  firm,  with 
a  rich,  luscious  flavor.  Should  be  in  every  garden. 

McAvoy'S  Superior. — This  won  a  prize  of  $100  at  Cin- 
cinnati, as  the  best  pistillate  variety,  for  size,  flavor,  and 
fruitfulness.  Leaves  dark  green,  serrate ;  footstalk  long, 
trusses  of  fruit  full;  berry  large,  of  rich  dark  color, 
irregular,  roundish  conical ;  seeds  large,  slightly  sunk ; 
flesh  crimson  and  white,  tender,  and  juicy;  core  of  rather 
open,  coarse  texture ;  too  soft  for  a  market  fruit. 

Triomphe  de  Gaud, — A  foreign  variety,  but  one  that 
succeeds  well  at  the  South.  Leaves  large,  bright  green, 
on  long  petioles,  or  footstalks ;  fruit  large,  and  in  high 
trusses,  bright  scarlet,  and  of  excellent  flavor;  fruit 
resembles  Hovey's  Seedling  in  appearance. 

JllCimda,  or  "  Our  700."— A  fruit  of  great  merit,  dis- 
tributed by  J.  Knox,  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.  Fruit  very  large, 
of  a  conical  form,  occasionally  cockscombed  ;  color  bright 
scarlet ;  of  firm  flesh,  yet  tender  and  juicy,  sweet,  and 
delicious.  Probably  the  most  popular  variety  now  grown, 
if  we  except  Wilson's  Albany.  We  do  not  hesitate  to 
recommend  it  for  general  cultivation. 

Agriculturist, — A  seedling  by  Seth  Boyden,  of  Newark, 
N.  J.,  which,  from  the  encomiums  bestowed  upon  it,  must 
occupy  a  very  prominent  place  in  the  great  list  of  new 
and  desirable  varieties  ;  as  we  have  never  seen  the  fruit, 


FRUITS. VARIETIES   AND    CULTURE.  437 

we  can  only  speak  upon  the  opinions  of  those  competent 
to  decide  upon  its  merits. 

Dr,  Mcaise. — Judging  from  the  plates  we  have  seen  of 
this  new  European  variety,  which  is  as  large  as  a  good- 
sized  apple,  and  the  transports  of  praise  bestowed  upon  it, 
it  must  meet  with  a  ready  sale,  if  nothing  more.  How  it 
will  prove,  on  further  trial,  remains  to  be  seen.  "We  shall 
neither  recommend  nor  condemn  it,  as  we  have  never  seen  it. 

Downer's  Prolific. — A  seedling  from  Kentucky;  with 
us  it  has  no  remarkable  traits  about  it,  and  we  have  culti- 
vated it  for  several  years.  In  some  places  it  proves  to  be 
very  prolific  and  a  very  desirable  variety,  some  even  con- 
sidering it  as  one  of  the  very  best  of  the  new  varieties. 

We  could  add  many  others  of  prominent  claims  to  the 
foregoing  list,  but  think  we  have  described  and  recom- 
mended a  sufficient  number  to  satisfy  any  amateur  or 
market  gardener. 


INDEX. 


Almond 384 

Bitter 335 

Common 334 

Ladies'  Thin-shelled 335 

Long  Hard-shelled 335 

Angelica 322 

Anise 323 

Apple 335 

Aromatic  Carolina 345 

Bachelor 349 

Bough 344 

Buckingham 349 

Buff. 346 

Byers 349 

Camak's  Sweet 354 

Cane  Creek  Sweet 344 

Cattoogaja 354 

Cedar  Falls 350 

Chestatee 352 

Chestoa 352 

Cullasaga ..349 

Disharoon 346 

Early  Harvest 342 

Early  May, 341 

Elarkee 353 

Fall  Pippin 345 

Great  Unknown 351 

Habersham  Pearmain 347 

Horse 346 

Julien 343 

Maiden's  Blush 343 

Mangum ...354 

Meigs 347 

Mountain  Belle 356 

Nickajack 349 

Oconee  Greening 351 

Rabbit's  Head 352 

Bed  June 342 

Red  Warrior 350 

Summerour 349 

Toccoa 345 

Van  Buren 356 

Walker's  Yellow 349 

Webb's  Winter 351 

Yahoola.. 356 

Yellow  June 344 

Apricot 357 

Breda...  358 

Dnbois 358 

Hemskirke 359 

LargeEarly 358 

Moorpark 368 

428 


Apricot— Orange 358 

Peach 358 

Royal 359 

Artichoke 161 

Jerusalem 165 

Asparagus 166 

Balm 323 

Basil 172 

Bean,  Kidney 175 

Algiers 176 

Black  Speckled 176 

Butter 177 

Carolin  a 177 

Dark  Prolific 176 

Dutch  Case-knife 176 

Early  Mohawk 175 

Early  Valentine 170 

Late  Valentine 175 

London  Horticultural 176 

Newington  Wonder .175 

Royal  Kidney 175 

Wax 176 

White  Prolific 176 

English  Broad 173 

Dwarf  Early 174 

Dwarf  Windsor 174 

Long-pod 173 

Mazagan 173 

Lima 176 

Beet 180 

Bassano 180 

Early  Long  Blood 181 

Early  Turnip-rooted 180 

Extra  Early  Turnip 180 

Long  Blood 181 

Nutting's  Selected  Dwarf 181 

Sea-Kale 184 

Short's  Pineapple 181 

White 184 

Bene 323 

Blackberry 359 

Black  Walnut 380 

Bones 54 

Boneset 324 

Borage 325 

Borecole 186 

Broccoli 187 

Brussels  Sprouts 187 

Budding 112 

Bulbs 98 

Burnet 188 

Burnt  Clay 44 


INDEX. 


439 


Cabbage  ....189 

Bergen 190 

Curled  Savoy.  191 

Drumhead  Savoy 191 

Early  Battersea 190 

Early  Dutch 190 

Early  Winningstadt 190 

Early  York 190 

FlatDutch. 190 

Green  Glazed 190 

Ked  Dutch 191 

Savoy 191 

Capsicum 274 

Caraway 325 

Cardoon 197 

Carrot  203 

Altringham 203 

Early  French  Short  Horn 203 

Early  Horn 203 

LongOrange 203 

Cauliflower 199 

Celeriac 212 

Celery f 205 

Curled  White 205 

Early  Dwarf  Solid  White 205 

Eed  Solid 205 

Seymour's  White 205 

White  Solid 205 

Chamomile 326 

Charcoal 45 

Burning ....  46 

Cherokee  Hose 18 

Cherry 360 

Belle  Magnifique 362 

Blackheart 362 

Doctor 361 

Downer's  Late 362 

Elton 361 

English  Morello 362 

Kentish 361 

Kirtland's  Mary 361 

Late  Kentish 361 

May  Duke 361 

Plumstone  Morello 362 

Keine  Hortense 362 

Rockport  Bigarreau 361 

Sweet  Montmorency 362 

Chervil 215 

Chestnut 379 

Chick-Pea 214 

Chinese  Yam. .  226 

Chives 214 

Chlorine...  ..  38 


Ciboule .259 

Citron  384 

Cives 214 

Clary 326 

Colza 290 

Cold  Frames 71 

Composts 58-88 

Coriander 326 

Corn 216 

Dent 216 

Eight-rowed  Sugar. 216 

Extra  Early 216 

Sto well's  Evergreen 216 

Corn  Salad ..220 

Cow-Pea 220 

Cress,  American 221 

Garden 221 

Winter 221 

Crossing  and  hybridizing 95 

Cucumber 222 

Early  Cluster 223 

Early  Frame 223 

Early  Short  White  Prickly 223 

Long  Green  Prickly 223 

White  Spined... 223 

Currant 362 

Red  Dutch 363 

White  Dutch 363 

Cuttings  104 

Dewberry 360 

Dill 326 

Edgings 16 

Egg  Plant 228 

Large  Prickly-stemmed  Purple. 228 

Long  Purple 228 

Striped  Guadaloupe 228 

Elecampane 327 

Eschallot 301 

Endive 230 

Broad-leaved  Batavian 230 

Large  Green  Curled 230 

White-flowered  Batavian 230 

Evergreen  Thorn 16 

Fencing 16 

Fennel .327 

Fetticus 220 

Fig 363 

Alicante 367 

Black  Ischia 367 

Black  Genoa. 366 

Brown  Ischia 366 

Brown  Turkey 365 

Brunswick 365 


440 


GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 


Fig-Celestial , 366 

Common  Blue 367 

Common  White 367 

Lemon  White 367 

Nerii 367 

Pergussatta 367 

White  Genoa 367 

White  Ischia 367 

Filberts 380 

Cosford 880 

Frizzled 380 

White 380 

Forwarding  of  Early  Crops 66 

Frames 67 

French  Turnip 291 

Frost,  Protection  from 152 

Garbanza 214 

Garden,  Aspect  and  Inclination 12 

Form  of 15 

Laying  out 15 

Situation  of. 11 

Size  of. 14 

Garlic 233 

Gherkin 223 

Gooseberry 368 

Grafting,  116— Cleft,  119— Mode  and 
Time  of,  117— Root,  119— Splice, 

118— Whip 118 

Grafting  Wax 117 

Grape 368 

Catawba 373 

Clinton 373 

Concord, 373 

Herbemont's  Madeira 373 

Perkins 373 

Scuppernong 374 

Warren 373 

Ground-Nnt 234 

Ground-Pea 234 

Guano 53 

Guinea  Squash 228 

Gypsum 44 

Holly,  American 19 

Hop ...237 

Horehound 328 

Horseradish 235 

Hot-beds 67 

Humus 23 

Hybridizing 95 

Hyssop , 328 

Implements 73 

Bell-glass 85 

Bow-saw 80 


Implements— Budding  Knife.......  81 

Bush-hook 82 

Crowbar 76 

Cultivator 74 

Dibble 78 

DrillRakes 78 

Folding  Ladder 83 

Garden  Engines 84 

Garden  Roller 74 

Grafting  Tool 82 

Grass-edger 82 

Hand  Glass 85 

Hand  Syringes 85 

Hedge  Shears 81 

Hoes 76 

Lawn  Scythe 82 

Level 79 

LineandReel 79 

ManureForks 76 

Marker 78 

Orchardists' Hook 84 

One-horse  Turning  Plow 73 

Pick 75 

Plant  Protectors 86 

Pole  Pruning  Shears 80 

PotatoHook 77 

Pruning  Saw 80 

Pruning  Knives 81 

Pruning  Scissors 81 

Pruning  Shears 80 

Rake 77 

Screens 79 

ScuffleHoe 77 

Shovels 76 

Spade  Fork 76 

Spades 75 

Standing  Ladder 84 

Subsoil  Plow 73 

Tallies 83 

Transplanter 78 

Trowel 78 

Turf  Beetle 74 

Vine  Scissors 81 

Vine  Shields 85 

Watering  Pots 84 

Wheelbarrow 74 

Inarching 121 

Indian  Cress 256 

Insects 156 

Apple  Bark-louse 337 

Apple  Bupestris 338 

Apple-root  Blight 336 

Apple-tree  Borer 338 


INDEX. 


441 


Insects— Apple-tree  Caterpillar 339 

Apple-worm 340 

Bill-bug 219 

Codling  Moth 346 

Corn-borer 219 

Corn-worm 218 

Curculio 422 

Handmaid  Moth 339 

Onion-fly 262 

Palmer  Worm 340 

Peach-tree  Borer 385 

Plum  Weevil 422 

Squash-bug 308 

Squash-vine  Borer 309 

Tent  Caterpillar 539 

Thick-legged  Apple  Borer 338 

Turnip  Flea-beetle 318 

Woolly  Aphis 337 

Japan-Pea 238 

Japan  Quince 19 

Jerusalem  Artichoke 165 

Kale,  Buda 186 

Turner's  Cottager's 186 

Kohlrabi 238 

Lactura  sativa 242 

Lambs'  Lettuce 220 

Lavender 329 

Layering 101 

Leaf  Mould 48 

Leek 239 

Lemon 384 

Lentil •. 241 

Lettuce 242 

Brown  Dutch 242 

Butter 242 

Curled  India 243 

Early  Cabbage 242 

Hammersmith 242 

Hardy  Green 242 

Neapolitan • 243 

Paris  Green  Cos 243 

Philadelphia  Cabbage 243 

Royal  Cabbage 242 

Victoria  Cabbage 243 

White  Paris  Cos 243 

Lime 32-43-384 

Lime  and  Salt  Mixture 47 

Lime-rubbish 43 

Liquid  Manure 56 

Liquorice 329 

Loamy  Sand 22 

Macartney  Rose 16 

Madeira  Nut 880 

19* 


Manures 30 

Manures,  Animal 51 

Bird 53 

Green 60 

Indirect  action  of 40 

Management  of 52 

Organic 45 

Saline  and  Earthy 43 

Sources  and  Preparation 42 

Marigold 246 

Marjoram 246 

Pot 246 

Sweet 246 

Marl 44 

Medicinal  Herbs 322 

Melon 247 

Melon,  Beechwood 247 

Christiana  248 

Citron 247 

Hoosainee 248 

Netted  Cantaloupe 248 

Skillman's  Fine  Netted 248 

Mice 160 

Mint 330 

Mulching 140 

Mulberry 376 

Black 376 

Downing's  Everbearing 377 

Red 376 

Mushroom 250 

Muskmelon 247 

Mustard 254 

Black 254 

White 254 

Nasturtium 256 

Nectarine 377 

Boston 378 

Down  ton . .  378 

Early  Violet 378 

Elruge 378 

Hunt's  Tawny 378 

New  White 379 

Stanwick 379 

Violet  Hative 378 

Night  Soil 56 

Nitrate  of  Potash 44 

Nitrate  of  Soda 44 

Nuts 379 

Okra 257 

Olive 381 

Onion 258 

Large  Red 258 

Potato 258 


442 


GARDENING  FOR  THE   SOUTH. 


Onion— Silver-skinned 258 

Top 258 

Tree 259 

Welsh 259 

Yellow  Strasburgh 258 

Yellow  Danvers 258 

Orach. 264 

Orange 382 

Bergamot 384 

Havana , 384 

Mandarin 384 

Otaheitan 384 

St.  Michaels 383 

Osage  Orange 16 

Parsley... 265 

Parsnip 267 

Pea 269 

Bishop's  New  Long-pod 270 

Black-eyed  Marrowfat 271 

Cedo  Nulli , 269 

Daniel  O'Rourke 269 

Dwarf  Blue  Imperial 270 

Early  Charlton 270 

Early  Emperor 269 

Early  Frame 269 

Early  Kent 269 

Early  Tom  Thumb 270 

Extra  Early 269 

Fairbanks'  Champion 270 

Huir's  Dwarf  Mammoth 271 

EJuight's  Tall  Marrow 271 

Large  White  Marrowfat 270 

Napoleon .270 

Prince  Albert 269 

Victoria 270 

Peas,  Sugar 271 

Pea-nut 234 

Peach ..385 

Baldwin's  Late 395 

Baugh 395 

Belle  de  Beaucaire 392 

Blanton  Cling 394 

Chinese  Cling 394 

Columbus  June 391 

Crawford's  Early 392 

Crawford' s  Late 393 

Early  Newington  Free 392 

Early  Tillotson. ...  391 

Eaton's  Golden  Cling 395 

George  IV 392 

Grosse  Mignonne 392 

Bale's  Early 391 

Late  Admirable...  ..393 


Peach— Late  Red  Rareripe 393 

Lemon  Cling 393 

Newington  Cling 393 

Oldmixon  Cling 393 

President 393 

Pride  of  Autumn 395 

Serrate  Early  York 391 

Tippecanoe 394 

Van  Buren's  Golden  Dwarf. ....  394 

Walter's  Early 392 

White  English  Cling 394 

Pear 395 

Abercromby 401 

Bartlett 405 

Belle  Epine  Dumas 416 

Belle  Lucrative 412 

Beurr6  Bosc 403 

Beurr6  Clairgeau 411 

Beurr6  Gris  d'Hiver  Noveau 416 

Beurr6  Richelieu 414 

Bloodgood 404 

Brandywine 407 

Cath'arine  Gardette 413 

Columbia 417 

Compte  de  Flandre 412 

Dearborn's  Seedling 403 

Doyenne  d'Alencon 416 

Doyenne,  White. 407 

Duchesse  d'Angouleme 410 

Easter  Beurr6 420 

Glout  Morceau 414 

Henry  th%Fourth 406 

Jaminette 420 

Joannet. 401 

Josephine  de  Malines 414 

Louise  Bonne  de  Jersey 403 

Madeleine 401 

Manning's  Elizabeth 404 

Nabours 409 

Parsonage 416 

Passe  Colmar 414 

St.  Germain 418 

St.  Michael  Archangel 412 

Seckel 410 

Selleck 408 

Soldat  Laboureur 415 

Sterling 413 

Van  Assche 408 

Winter  Nelis.. 419 

Pennyroyal 330 

Pepper 274 

Cayenne 275 

Large  Sweet  Spanish 875 


INDEX. 


443 


Pepper— Long 275 

Tomato 275 

Peppermint 330 

Peruvian  Guano 53 

Phosphates 35 

Phosphoric  Acid 35 

Pindar 234 

Pipings Ill 

Pistacio  Nut 380 

Pits 72 

Plum 421 

Bingham 425 

Blue 427 

Chickasaw 424 

Columbia 425 

Duane's  Purple 427 

Early  Purple 425 

Elfry 426 

Harvest  Gage 426 

Jaune  Hative 427 

Jefferson 426 

Prince's  Yellow  Gage 425 

Purple  Egg 426 

Red  Magnum  Bonum 426 

Rivers'  Early  Favorite 427 

Sea 425 

Washington 426 

Potash 33 

Potato,  Irish 276 

Ash-leaved  Kidney 277 

Fox  Seedling 277 

Mercer 277 

Prince  Albert 277 

Potato,  Sweet 281 

Brimstone 281 

Common  Yam 281 

Hayti  Yam 282 

Nansemond 281 

Red  Bermuda 281 

Small  Spanish 281 

Pot  Marigold 246 

Profits  of  Gardening 65 

Propagation  of  Plants,  87— By  Cut- 
tings, 104— By  Division,  98— By 
Layers,  101— By  Roots,  101— By 

Seed 87 

Pruning,  122— General  principles  of, 
126— Implements  for,  125— To  im- 
prove form,  127— Mode  of  operat- 
ing, 126— To  reduce  Fruitfulness, 
129— To  renew  growth,  128— Sum- 
mer, 124— Time  for,  123— At  Trans- 
planting, 129— Winter 123 


Pumpkin 286 

Cashaw 286 

Pyracanth 16 

Quince 428 

Angers 429 

Apple-shaped 429 

Chinese 429 

Orange-shaped , 429 

Pear-shaped...  429 

Portugal 429 

Radish 287 

BlackSpanish 288 

Black  Winter 288 

Chinese  Rose-colored  Winter. . .  288 

Early  Scarlet  Short-Top 287 

Oval  Rose-colored 287 

Purple  Turnip-rooted 287 

Scarlet  Turnip-rooted 287 

White  Chinese 288 

White  Turnip-rooted 287 

YellowSummer 288 

Rampion 290 

Rape 290 

Edible-Rooted 291 

Raspberry 430 

American  Black 431 

American  Red 432 

American  White 432 

Fastolf 432 

Red  Antwerp. 431 

Yellow  Antwerp 431 

Rhubarb 291 

Rocambole 293 

Root  Cuttings. Ill 

Coquette 294 

Rosemary 331 

Rotation  of  Crops 60 

Rue 331 

Runners 99 

Ruta-baga 316 

Sage 332 

Salsify 294 

Salt 43 

Sandy  Loam 22 

Savory,  Summer 296 

Winter 296 

Savoy  Cabbages 191 

Scaroles 230 

Scions 116< 

Scorzonera 296 

Scurvy  Grass , 297 

Sea  Kale 297 

Seeds,  Maturity  and  Soundness  of, 


444 


GARDENING   FOB   THE    SOUTH. 


88— Preservation  of,  95— Sowing 
of,  91— Time  required  to  germi- 
nate, 93— Time  of  sowing,  90— 

Vitality  of 89 

Shaddock. . '. 384 

Shading 141 

Shallot 301 

Shell-bark  Hickory 379 

Skirre  t , 302 

Slips 101 

Soda 34 

Soils,  20— Argillaceous,  20— Calca- 
reous, 23— Depth  of,  24-28— Im- 
provement of,  25— Organic,  23— 

Sandy,  21— Texture  of. 25 

Soot 44 

Sorrel 303 

Southernwood 333 

Spearmint 330 

Spinach 304 

Flanders 304 

Lettuce-leaved 304 

New  Zealand , 806 

Prickly-seeded 304 

Bound-leaved 304 

Winter 304 

Squash 307 

Bergen 307 

Cocoanut 307 

Early  Bush  Scollop 307 

Summer 307 

Valparaiso 307 

Winter 307 

Strawberry 432 

Agriculturist 436 

Dr.Nicaise 437 

Downer's  Prolific 437 

Jucunda 436 

Hovey's  Seedling 436 

McAvoy's  Superior 436 

"Our  700" 436 

Triomphe  de  Gand 436 

Wilson's  Albany 435 

Subsoil  plowing 30 

Suckers 100 

Sulphur 37 

Superphosphate  of  Lime 54 

Swamp  Muck 47 

Sweet  Potato 281 

Swiss  Chard 124 

Tan  sy 333 

Tan-bark...  ..  49 


Tanyah 309 

Tarragon 810 

Teltow 291 

Terraces 12 

Thoroughwort 324 

Thyme,  Common 311 

Lemon 311 

Tomato 312 

Cherry 313 

Early  Bed. 313 

Fejee  Island 313 

Gallagher's  Mammoth 313 

Large  Bed 312 

Large  Smooth  Bed 313 

Large  Yellow 313 

Pear-shaped 313 

Training 133 

Transplanting 134 

Preparation  of  Trees  for 138 

Herbaceous  Plants 139 

Tree  Box  ... 19 

Trenching 28 

Tubers 99 

Turnip 315 

Cabbage 316 

Early  Bed-top  Dutch 315 

Early  White  Dutch 315 

French 291 

Purple-topped  Swede 316 

Buta-Baga 316 

Skirving's  Improved  Swede 316 

Swedes 316 

Sweet  German 316 

White  Globe 315 

White  Norfolk 316 

Yellow  Aberdeen 316 

Yellow  Dutch 316 

Vegetable  Marrow 308 

Vegetable  Oyster.... , 294 

Watering 142 

Water  Cress 319 

Watermelon 320 

Clarendon 821 

Ice  Cream 320 

Imperial 320 

Mountain  Sweet 320 

Bavenscroft 321 

Souter 821 

Spanish 320 

Wine 372 

Wormwood 833 

Boman...  ,..., 833 


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